


Hostage

by Mastre



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Abduction, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Hostage Situations, Loki Does What He Wants, POV Third Person, Possessive Loki, Post-Avengers (2012), Seduction, Sexual Content, Shameless Smut, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-20
Updated: 2018-02-09
Packaged: 2018-07-16 07:25:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 31,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7258051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mastre/pseuds/Mastre
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a new and very dangerous prisoner is confined to a cell at S.H.I.E.L.D. someone has to do the medical assessment, which leads to some unexpected consequenses.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The prisoner

This was not her idea of fun. It was not even supposed to be her work. As a medical assistant her task was to assess the injuries of _female_ prisoners, not male ones. She had a very sneaking suspicion that this was a setup, a devious plot to embarrass and make her uncomfortable. She was not exactly popular among the agents on this floor, and after they'd found out that she was also a part time sex ed teacher the jokes had never stopped coming.

Normally there would be at least two male assistants available for this kind of assessment, but they were curiously occupied elsewhere and could not be called in. And since this really needed to be done right away... would she consider... blah blah blah... of course she had the option to refuse... yadda yadda yadda.

Refuse, right. And never hear the end of it.

_Damn it! If I can stand in front of a class of 30 teenagers, explaining the facts of life, and face their angry parents afterwards I should be more than capable of doing this._

She stepped into the confinement area and went through the usual routine. This was a high security sector and two heavily armed guards were to escort her while examining the prisoner. There would also be cameras, of course. The cell was under surveillance 24/7. 

She waited patiently for the cell door to slide open and the guards to enter first. Only then did she get a good look at the prisoner. He was sitting on a simple bed in the otherwise empty room, looking... in surprisingly good condition for someone who had had a close encounter with the Hulk. Most people wouldn't even have survived.

She put her kit down and introduced herself. He looked thoroughly unimpressed.  
"I am to do a medical assessment of your injuries," she explained cooly.  
He sneered.  
"That would be completely unnecessary."  
"Maybe, but it's how we do it here."

She stepped closer and began examining the bruises and cuts on his face. Interesting enough they were already showing signs of healing. She had been informed that the prisoner was of a race that healed extremely fast, but it had been an abstract concept until she actually saw it.  
"Amazing," she mumbled, not even aware that she was speaking aloud.  
"What is?"  
"Oh... this healing capacity of yours. I've never seen anything like it."  
That unimpressed look again, like it was beyond his dignity to interact to her.

Charming.

There wasn't much to patch up and no need for stitching. Then for the fun part.  
"Strip!"  
He looked at her dubiously. She glanced at the guards.  
"I'm sorry about the audience, but it's how we do things. You can keep your underwear on."

He sighed and looked like he was about to roll his eyes, then his clothes simply shimmered and vanished. Right, another alien ability. She hadn't actually believed in that one.

Now he was watching her intently, like he finally acknowledged that she was a person and not just a nuisance. She assessed the bruises on his back and chest, checking for broken ribs, but there were, surprisingly, none. One or two may have been bruised though, judging from how he flinched when she prodded him.

"Is your body temperature normally this low?" she asked, offering him a mouth thermometer. He threw it away.

_Sigh!_

Well, she couldn't force a grown man to put a stick in his mouth.  
She brought out the ear thermometer instead, but one look at his face told her that wasn't a good idea either. No poking in orifices.

She continued the examination and prodded his belly for painful spots. That's when she noticed it.  
"Really?" She lifted an eyebrow. "Now?"  
"Don't flatter yourself, mortal," he growled.

Erections were not unusal in medical examinations but she hadn't even touched that area.

She could just imagine how the other agents were watching the monitors and laughing at her expense. Someone was going to pay for this.

Yes, she was grateful for underwear. And the fact that aliens wore them.

There didn't appear to be any broken bones or internal bleeding.

When she offered him painkillers he gave her a contemptous look.  
"You think I'm like you feeble humans? That I can't withstand a bit of pain?  
"I don't think you should put up with pain when it isn't necessary."  
He looked away to show his disdain.

It was doubtful if they would have worked anyway; hardly anything was known about his physiology and it was pure guesswork what might have worked and in what dose.

"Do you have pain anywhere else? Any discomfort, nausea, dizzyness...?  
"What concern is that of yours?" he asked.  
"It's my job to assess those things."  
"You're a healer."  
"If that's what you like to call it. We don't use that term anymore."

He hadn't answered her question so she repeated it, with the same result. His eyes didn't waver from her though, and she wondered if he had any questions of his own. Or anything to add.  
"Do you enjoy what you do?" he asked instead.

_This particular part? No!_

"You don't find it ironic?" he continued before she could answer. "To work for an organization like S.H.I.E.L.D. if your incentive is to heal people?"  
"Yeah, well... They have our nation's interest in mind, to protect us from..."  
"The likes of you," was what she had intended to say but he didn't let her finish.  
"Do you really think you are better off this way than you would have been under my rule?" he hissed, leaning towards her, and she could hear the guards tensing up behind her, aiming their weapons. Nothing happened though.

She packed up her things. There was one last thing to do.  
"I'm going to take a blood sample."

He flat out refused, and she didn't have the resources needed to enforce it. It wasn't surprising. She wasn't even sure she had a needle thick enough to get through his skin, judging from how little damage he had sustained in the battle. Yet it was her job to ask so that's what she did.

All things considered it went pretty well, and she thought little about the encounter as the day progressed.


	2. Home invasion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When security is high and it still isn't enough...

She was finally ready to go home for the day when the alarms went off.  
"Are you fucking kidding me? We're going into lockdown _now_?"

But no, not yet. If she hurried she might still get out before this floor got included in the lockdown. With a tight grip on her purse she sped down the corridor and threw herself in the elevator, impatiently waiting for the doors to close.

The parking garage was on alert but they still let people through. She quickly found her car-keys and unlocked the doors. After throwing her coat into the backseat she had to look around for her sunglasses that had fallen down under the passenger seat, all while cursing her own OCD-ish behaviour. If she didn't want to get stuck her for hours on end she needed to get a move on now.

The security procedure was heightened but they did eventually wave her through and she could take a breath of relief. Now just avoid the worst traffic and she'd be home in a little over half an hour, free to enjoy her weekend. She turned on the radio and started singing along, suddenly elated after the previous tension.

* * *

It was only when she got out of the car and opened the back door to get her coat that she noticed something was off.  
"What the...?" Something invisible hit her full force and when she regained her breath she was pinned against a man's chest with his arm pressed against her throat.  
"We will walk inside quietly, and you will do everything I say, yes?"

That voice sounded disturbingly familiar...

She did as he demanded. That kind of strength wasn't really something you could argue with. He held her in tight grip around her waist as they approached the front door and only let go once inside. Instead he grabbed her wrist and went through every room to check that they were alone.  
"You live here on your own?" he inquired, pulling the curtains closed.  
"Yes..."

When over the initial shock she paid close attention, hoping to find something she could use to her advantage.  
His tense facial expression and stiff movements told her there was more going on than met the eye.  
"You look worse than when I examined you!" she observed. "What happened?"  
He leaned against the wall, breathing more laboured than normal.  
"I got shot, if you have to know."

Well that must have been one of the newer weapons the prison guards were equipped with, since regular firearms did next to nothing to this... whatever he was.  
"Is that why you picked me? Because I have medical training?"  
He stroke a sweaty strand of hair out of his face.  
"You were merely a convenient way to get out of there. Come!"

He dragged her with him into the bedroom and pushed her into the bed until it hit the back of her knees and she was forced to sit down. A green light emitted from his palm and her left hand was suddenly attached to the bedframe through a shackle and a chain.  
"What the hell?" She went ice cold. If things had looked bad until now this was ten times worse.  
"I need to rest," he said. "And I will not have you running around causing me problems." He walked around the bed and sat on the other side, lifting his legs up with a grimace.  
"If you want that looked at..."  
"I will heal on my own," he interrupted. "Now be quiet!" He lay down, settling on his back with his raven haired head on a pillow. Slowly his breathing was becoming less strained and he closed his eyes.

She pondered the possibilities. The chain didn't leave many options. There were few things she could reach from her restrained position. Trying to suffocate him with a pillow was probably not going to work, since he was much stronger than she was, and there was nothing heavy enough to knock him out with. And even so, how would she get out of the shackle?

She ended up lying down as well, determined to get rest when she could, as well as giving her mind optimal conditions to work out a solution. There was nothing else to do now anyway.

* * *

It was almost an hour and she couldn't take it anymore. Throwing caution to the wind she shoved an elbow into his ribs.  
He cursed in a language she wasn't familiar with but the meaning was obvious.  
"I'm tired of this," she said, making her voice sound self-assured. "I need to eat. If you let me loose I will make something for you too."  
He turned his head to look at her, face unreadable for several long, unsettling seconds. Then he rose to his feet and walked gingerly around the bed again. Releasing her from the bedframe he led her into the kitchen and sat on the nearest chair while watching her work. 

She couldn't say she was happy about preparing dinner for a criminal alien keeping her hostage, but it was way better than being chained to a bed.

Finally done they ate in silence.  
Watching him discreetly she managed to work out where his wound was. There was no blood visible, but a small bleeding would not necessarily penetrate the leather he was wearing. The fact that he could walk indicated the damage being less serious as well. On the other hand some injuries could take a while to manifest themselves fully and she certainly didn't want him to go unconscious while she was chained up.  
"Is there anything you need to heal faster?" she asked.  
He gave her a brief, uninterested look before returning to his food.  
"There is not."

She glanced around the room. Computer, cellphone... he wouldn't let her near any of those, and running for the door didn't seem like a realistic option. She would have to bide her time. Unless he decided to make use of her bed restraint in a more... creative way. She hadn't forgotten what had happened in the cell. It was unlikely while he was in pain though. 

She still had time to figure something out.


	3. Awkward situations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When you have to share bed with your captor and things just keep getting worse.

Damn it! She was chained up again and now he seemed to have gone asleep for the night. It could take hours before she'd be relaxed enough to do the same. And nothing to do in the meantime.

She had not made any plans for the weekend, and her next shift at S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't start until monday afternoon. It meant more than two days before anyone would be likely to miss her. On the other hand that might be a good thing. Who knew how this man would react if cornered. It could get ugly.

It might have helped if she'd known more about him, but she hadn't had access to much information beyond what she'd been given before being sent to his cell. His name was Loki, he was from another world entirely, the mythological Asgard, and he had led an alien army through a portal over the city in an attempt to conquer the world. He was considered extremely dangerous.

_And I have this guy in my bedroom, barely a foot away from me! Bloody hell, could I be in more trouble?_

Her thoughts were disturbed by him changing position, moving onto his side and facing her. She tried to edge out of the way but was already on the brink of falling off the bed. His hand was touching her pillow now and that made her seriously uncomfortable. She didn't want that hand in her face. Not that she felt any safer turning her back to him.

Finally she decided to face him, trying to ignore the fingers in her immediate visual field. Judging from his breathing he was asleep and he looked more peaceful than earlier in the day. Long black hair, dark eyebrows, pale skin and high cheekbones. He looked surprisingly human for someone from another world.

Except that he was stronger and more physically resilient than anyone she'd ever met. And he could conjure chains out of thin air. Not reassuring. Not someone she would have preferred to share her bed with, had there been a choice.

She convinced herself to close her eyes and relax, hoping something resembling sleep would come. She needed her wits and focus with her, was she to survive the upcoming weekend.

Though she finally did sleep she did so very lightly, and it took only a small movement on his part for her to go wide awake and all but jump out of the bed. When morning finally came she was not rested at all.

He let her go for a shower and making breakfast, but never let up enough for her to try anything. She ended up staring at him over the breakfast table like she actually believed looks could kill.  
"You can hate me all you wish," he said without bothering to look at her. "It will not make a difference."

She wondered just how much damage a kitchen knife might do to that pretty skin of his.

"Just how long are you going to spend here?" she asked. "Invading my home and eating my food?"

_And chaining me to my own fucking bed._

"Only until I'm recovered enough to move freely," he answered with disinterest.  
"You look fairly recovered now." She didn't attempt to hide the challenge in her voice. "If you keep eating everything in sight there won't be anything left till tomorrow. Didn't your _allies_ feed you?"  
He gave her a sharp look.  
"Don't speak of things of which you have no knowledge!"

_Ooh, sore spot!_

She cocked her head to the side.  
"What's the matter? Didn't they take care of you?  
His eyes narrowed.  
"If you wish me to chain you up and gag you you merely need to ask."

_Okay, new strategy._

"At least let me get on with my life. I need to use my laptop. You can disable the wifi if you want. Where's the harm in that?"  
He took his time to ponder the request but eventually gave in. She wouldn't be able to go online or contact anyone, but at least she could do some work.

* * *

He glanced over her shoulder at the open laptop and frowned.  
"What is this?"

_Wonderful! Now I get to discuss akward things with the criminal who got an erection when I touched him._

"It's material for my lessons. I'm a sex ed teacher."  
He looked confused.  
"Sexual education," she clarified. "I teach teenagers how babies are made."  
"They do not know?"  
"You'd be surprised," she said darkly. "I get yelled at regularly by parents who'd rather have their kids pregnant at 16 than them knowing what healthy sex looks like. Some people will not talk to their kids, but they don't want anyone else to do it either. It's a big problem."  
"Interesting..." he said. "And how does this teaching... work?"  
She took a breath and steadied her voice.  
"Mostly I try to explain how things really work as opposed to what they might have heard, and I show the pictures you see on there." She pointed at the laptop. "And I give them time to ask questions."  
"That is all?" he asked, looking sceptic.  
"What did you think? That I gave live demonstrations? I also have an ask box on social media where they can drop questions if they're too embarrassed to do it at the lesson. That's about it."

He seemed to find the whole concept curious for some reason, but she was not going to encourage further discussion. They were certainly not friends and she didn't want to be more familiar with this guy than necessary. Unless it could help her escape there was no point.

"What are you going to do with me when you're done here?"she asked.  
"If you do as I say I may not kill you."

That didn't sound reassuring. From what she'd heard he didn't have much regard for human life in the first place, so he might well cut the loose ends just for the fun of it.  
If he didn't decide to have another kind of fun first, now she'd turned his mind in that direction.


	4. Escape attempts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If it doesn't work the first time you just keep on trying.

She saw her chance when he left the room for a moment. Within seconds she was at the window, opening it, and started climbing out. Her foot had barely touched down on the grass before a hand grabbed her from behind and janked her back inside, followed by the window slamming shut.  
He held her in place with an arm around her waist and another against her throat.  
"So this is what I get to deal with for not keeping you chained up," he muttered.  
"If I'm a prisoner it's my fucking duty to escape!" she uttered in frustration, struggling against his grip.  
"You're in agreement with my own actions then."

Remembering where his shot wound was she shoved her elbow hard into his abdomen, near the left side, and he hissed in pain. She tried to follow up by stomping down on his foot but, since she didn't wear shoes, it only lead to a stinging agony through her heel. He was fucking made of iron.  
"What do you want with me?" she shouted. "Why didn't you just kill me when you had your chance? It's not like you need me here."  
"Maybe I should humiliate you like you tried to do with me," he suggested harshly, mouth close to her ear.

_What?_

"Humiliate... I didn't humiliate you! It was a damn medical examination. Don't they have those where you come from, you idiot?"

_Oh fuck, I'm so screwed._

"Or maybe I will use you as a bargaining chip if S.H.I.E.L.D. decides to show up. Do you think they would care about the life of a single mortal? Or would they consider it collateral damage?"  
Her heart sank. That was exactly the situation she wanted to avoid. The Avengers might care; they were rumoured to have saved people during the battle. S.H.I.E.L.D.... she was not so sure. If it came to a choice between one person and bigger losses and they weren't willing to negotiate... No, she wasn't sure at all.

She forced those thoughts out of her mind for the time being, trying to focus on the situation at hand. He was still holding her tightly and she felt every inch of that hard, leather clad body against her own. It made her extremely uncomfortable. 

"Are you quite done?" he asked in an infuriatingly calm voice after several long moments had passed without her succeeding in fighting him off. She clenched her teeth and refused to answer.

He dragged her to the bed and chained her up again, then went back to the living room. She was left alone with a head full of murderous thoughts and, once running out of adrenaline, ended up falling asleep from the exhaustion as well as the luxury of finally being alone.

* * *

She woke up with a jerk when she felt a hand on her throat, lightly caressing. He was looking down at her with an odd look in his eyes. It took her a moment to realize the undignified position she was lying in: on her back, legs and arms splayed apart, and she quickly gathered her limbs to feel less exposed.  
"You humans are so fragile," he said, almost pensively. "Do you realize how little it would take for me to break one of your bones, even your neck?"  
Her anger flared up again and she didn't bother to hide it.  
"Do you realize I won't hesitate a second to kill you if I get the chance?  
He laughed softly.  
"Oh, I don't doubt that. You have the nerve, I believe. Some cannot make themselves take a life even when finding themselves in a dire situation, but you... Little mortal, I think you are _quite_ different." 

She wasn't sure whether to feel flattered or insulted. Or how he even could determine what she was capable of.

He removed his hand and released her from the shackle.  
"I believe it's time for a meal if you are interested."

_Eat? Again? How long did I sleep?_

As it turned out several hours.  
He had actually prepared the food this time, not that it improved her feelings towards him.  
"You know, S.H.I.E.L.D. probably won't hesitate to kill you either, "she pointed out. "They're not likely to take any more chances."  
"I believe my brother would be most displeased if they did," Loki said cooly. "He is tasked with bringing me home and back into the fold."  
"Why? So you can get a spanking and a stern talk? Your crimes were here!"  
He looked at her without showing any emotion.  
"More likely to be executed, which is why I'd rather take my chances in this realm."  
Great, so he was desperate. Her situation got better and better.

She turned on the TV to find that, though there were reports of a situation at the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, there were no details of the escape. Naturally, they wouldn't want to alarm the public. Alien supervillain on the loose. That would be bad for the morale of a city who was already trying to come to terms with being attacked by monsters from outer space.  
She wondered if they had any leads yet.

* * *

Once nighttime came and he was fast asleep beside her she started thinking. Carefully she opened a drawer next to the bed and searched for anything useful. Her eyes fell on a bottle of massage oil. It was a longshot, but...

Quietly she opened the bottle and started dripping the content over her wrist, waiting for it to run in under the shackle, coating the inside. Then she tested pulling through. Not promising. She added more to the edge of her hand and tried again. She was so focused she didn't notice what was going on behind her back until he spoke:  
"You will not succeed, but I have to say I admire your persistance. What you have on is an enchanted shackle. It will adapt to the smallest part of your arm and resist any attempt at breaking free. No amount of lubrication will help."

Fucking magic! She should have guessed.

She flung the bottle at him, but he caught it in the air and put it down on a surface nearby.  
"Now will you settle down and sleep?"  
"Do I have a choice?"


	5. Humiliation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When self preservation requires your obedience.

Sunday came. Loki was up and awake early, sitting on the edge of the bed examining a dark purple bruise covering half the belly area. The satisfaction she felt when seeing it was unworthy of her profession.

_I hope it's painful, you son of a bitch._

He gave her a look like he read her thoughts, and a brief smile crossed his face.  
"Your facial expression is very revealing," he remarked.  
"Good!," she answered defiantly.

He picked up the oil bottle and studied the label.  
"It's for my feet," she said, not sure why she bothered explaining anything to this despicable man who thought he had the right...  
He suddenly smiled, a most wicked, selfsatisfied smile.  
"Oh no!" she said, alarm and fury in her voice.  
"No?" He lifted en eyebrow as if mocking her.  
"You can't make me."  
"You would be surprised. If I had my scepter I could make you do anything I ask. You wouldn't be able to resist."

She had no idea what he was talking about, but there were rumours he had mind controlled people somehow, even turned one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s best agents, and she wondered just how much of it was true.

"There are others ways of persuasion however," he continued, as if pondering the possibilities.  
"I will not massage your feet. There is no way in hell!"  
He ignored her like he hadn't heard.  
"I believe it would be quite pleasurable to see one of you mortals kneeling at my feet while performing such a task." He made a hand gesture, surrounded by green light, and the chain between her hand and the bed suddenly tightened till it all but disappeared and the shackle seemed to be magnetized to the bedframe. Another shackle appeared around her other wrist, attaching itself the same way till she was sitting back with her hands on both sides of her head.  
"Unless you wish to spend the rest of the day like this I suggest you consider your options," he said coldly.  
"You bastard! " She could barely get the words out from agitation.  
"I will even give you a choice. You can attend to my feet..." He made a pause. "Or my back."

Anger and humiliation flashed behind her eyes. Kneeling on the floor or the intimacy of... No way. This was payback for the cell. There was absolutely no other reason he would think up something like this. She couldn't decide which option was the most revolting.

Of course being tied up like this would make any attempt at improving her situation impossible. And she would go nuts with boredom in less than an hour, two at the most.  
Time to swallow the pride.  
"How do I know you'll let me loose if I do it?"  
"You don't," he said. "But I can assure you I will leave you like this if you refuse. It makes it easier for me in any case, since you have this unfortunate habit of trying to escape, and I'm growing weary of it."

She took a deep breath.  
"Alright, I'll do your feet."

* * *

This was so humiliating. She sat bent over so she didn't have to see his smirking face. Or his crotch for that matter. Those leather pants should be banned for indecency. She began to wonder if she'd really picked the better option.

He leaned over, resting his elbows on his thighs.  
"Enjoying yourself, pet?"  
"Shut up!"  
"Tsk, tsk. You should be flattered for the opportunity to serve me. If things had gone according to plan I would have been king of this realm."  
"So now you're taking out your failure on me." She didn't bother looking up at him, just continued rubbing his bare feet.

At least they were clean. Be grateful for small favours.

He reached down to take hold of her chin, forcing it upwards.  
"Don't think your world is safe, little mortal. There may be worse things coming than you would have seen under my rule."  
She didn't bother to answer but he kept studying her features, not letting go. He had that odd look on his face again. She didn't know what it meant. Like he was considering something but wasn't sure what to do with it.

His eyes were green and intense. In truth his entire person radiated intensity, like there was this massive amount of energy locked up inside, just waiting to be released.   
It made her uneasy in more ways than one.

She removed herself from his hand with a jerk and he let her go, but didn't take his eyes of her.  
"Do continue!"  
She tensed her jaw and switched to his other foot. Her collegues would have laughed their asses off for sure had they witnessed this. Not that she would ever tell anyone.

"Are you satisfied? Can I go now?" she asked after massaging his damn feet for what felt like hours. Her legs were stiff from sitting on the floor and her fingers started to ache from pressing down on the foot hard enough. He complained if her touch was too light, claiming he couldn't feel it.  
"Getting tired already?" he teased. "A shame. You do it so well, I was beginning to quite enjoy it."

She just avoided his gaze and waited, not trusting herself to speak, or she would say something that would render her a slap to the face at the very least. There was something to be said for self preservation.

"Very well," he said and pulled her up by the arm. "I believe it is time for breakfast."


	6. Vulnerability

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sensitive issues are triggered and piques someones interest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've just upgraded this story from Mature to Explicit, due to a racy scene that will be coming in a later chapter. I can't really figure out where the line is between M and E, but figure it's better to play it safe. Don't be afraid to tell me if you ever think one of my stories should be upgraded to E. As long as you're respectful I appreciate the suggestion.

She really hated his company right now. Every time she laid eyes on him she remembered the humiliation. And when he noticed her looks he would smile back at her, showing he was thinking the exact same thing.  
"Perhaps we can find more tasks for you later," he said, sipping from a glass. "Something that will keep you from... undesired activities."

Like plotting escape. But that wasn't the real reason of course. He just wanted to see her on her knees, because he so fucking enjoyed it. Punishing a mortal for what they all had done to him. She didn't think this was only about her making him strip in his cell; it was the whole failed invasion thing. Vindictive bastard.

She dreaded what was to come.

* * *

"If you serve me to satisfaction I may reward you," he said.  
"Serve you? What the hell does that mean?"  
"It means you will do anything I ask of you, my dear little mortal, and do it quickly, without complaint."  
She groaned inwards.  
"Anything you do that displeases me, however..." he continued. "...will lead to you being chained to the bed, and you will have to gain my favour to be released again."

This was just ridiculous. She wasn't even afraid of him anymore, only outraged.  
"If you're so bored you have to play these games..."  
He interrupted her with a raised finger.  
"Whenever I take my eyes of you you end up trying to escape, do you not?"  
"Not every time, just..."  
"You also stated that you see it as your duty to try to escape. Now, I see it as my duty to keep you confined, and I will do whatever is needed to accomplish that goal."

_Sigh. Enough with the speeches already. No wonder they tried to shut him up in the myths._

She wondered if mentioning the myths would be a good idea. Probably not.

"So what's next?" she asked. "More foot rubbing?"  
"That can wait for later. You can start by tidying up this place."  
She huffed.  
"It's my home; I clean when I want to."

That came out more childish-sounding than she had intended. Not that she hadn't planned to clean up anyway, but being ordered around by a megalomaniac demigod didn't exactly motivate her.

He was resting on the coach while she was working, occasionally giving her looks to see what she was doing. And smirk at her.

Finally he seemed to want more personal attention because he called her to stop.  
"Come here, pet!"  
She approached cautiously, not knowing what to expect. He took her hands and positioned them into his hair.  
"I wish to relax. You are to give me a massage!"

_Oh come on!_

"You really want me that close to your eyes?" she couldn't help saying, disdain raw in her voice.  
He didn't show any concern.  
"You would not get the chance to harm me. You move far too slowly."  
That stung. She swallowed the tears and began massaging his scalp with her fingers.

"Why did it bother you?" he asked after a few moments of silence.  
"None of your business!" she muttered.  
He reached up and gripped one of her wrists, forcing her to stop.  
"Why did it bother you?"  
"Maybe I've been told too many times how slow and hopeless I am."  
He let her go and she tried to focus on what she was doing and not who she was doing it to. That made it easier. He had nice, soft hair, though it didn't appear to have been cut properly for a long time. It was pleasant to the touch.

"Why were you being told such things?" he asked.  
She sighed, passed the point of getting upset again.  
"Because people are assholes when you can't do the same things they do. It's a childhood thing; it doesn't matter anymore."

He finally let her go and she went back to cleaning.

* * *

All that physical contact made her edgy. She didn't want to be that close to her captor. She certainly didn't want to touch him. 

Under better circumstances she might well have found him attractive. Now that was a moot point.

Unfortunately, the more she wanted to avoid contact the more he seemed set on it.

At lunchtime they were seated across each other again and she did her best to avoid eye contact. Maybe for that very reason he kept his eyes on her so she had to meet his gaze every time she looked up.

"Why did it bother you so much what other's said when you were a child?"  
The question was unexpected and she wasn't sure how to explain.  
"Why do you think? Children... When you're told over and over again that you're not good enough it sticks. It's hurtful. And children are more sensitive than adults; they start thinking it's their fault; that there's something wrong with them."  
"And you were told you were too slow? Even for a Midgardian?"  
"Among other things. I had something called dyspraxia. It means your brain and your body doesn't cooperate well. You fumble and trip and... your body just won't obey when you command it to do things. Coordination doesn't work."

He seemed to ponder this.  
"I see no signs of what you describe now," he observed.  
"Because I grew out of it," she said. "I don't expect you to understand it."  
"All humans are slow by Asgardian standards," he said. "Just as you are weaker in strength and other physical aspects."  
"And that makes you better? Gives you the right to rule over us?"  
"It just doesn't make sense that you berate each other for such tiny differences."  
She huffed.  
"Oh, you have no idea!"


	7. Touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When things get a little more... hands on.

There were times when he was decent to deal with, and then there were times when... he was just plain obnoxious.

"I will _not_ give you any more massages. Just chain me up already!"  
Loki sighed with a disapproving look.  
"You're like a stubborn child, only making things harder on yourself."  
She glared at him.  
"And you're like a spoiled brat who thinks he can get away with treating others as servants just because you're stronger."  
"I _can_ get away with it, and not because of possessing greater strength. You mortals are inferior in every way; it would do you well to learn how to serve."  
"Go fuck yourself, you self-important son of a bitch."  
His eyes narrowed.  
"Perhaps we need to do something about that language of yours," he cautioned her.  
"What's wrong with it? Can't handle the truth, leather pants?"  
"You are permitted to use my name..."  
"I know what your name is, but I can think of more fitting epithets."  
"You may not want to take that attitude too far, pet." There was a clear warning to his voice this time, but she ignored it.  
"I'm not your pet!"

He stood and took a step towards her. Nothing had changed in his facial expression, but he suddenly seemed a lot more intimidating. She shied away.

Before she could flee he grabbed her by the hair and forced her face upwards.  
"You are mine to do with as I see fit and, believe me, you could fare a lot worse than you have up till now. I have been very patient with you."  
She hissed between her teeth. It wasn't so much the pain; it was more than bearable. It was the humiliation he kept forcing on her, the power game of making her obey and serve and submit in her own home. And now this. He seemed set on invading her personal space any way he could.

Letting go he reached behind her back and attached something to her wrists to hold them together. It was lighter than a chain and shackles, and softer as well. More magical restraints, probably. How many variants of those was he carrying around in case they'd be needed? Was he in the habit of capturing people and keeping them as house slaves?

"I was beginning to find your company rather pleasant," he said unexpectantly. "If you'd just learn to behave this situation could turn out beneficial for both of us."  
"I'd rather eat rat poison."  
He smiled and ran a thumb over her jawline.  
"Don't let courage become foolishness, love!"

* * *

"I find your... 'sexual education' curious," he said, like he had been giving it considerable thought. He was comfortably seated at the couch, while she was on the floor, hands still tied behind her back.

_Please no! Of all the subjects I may want to discuss with you right now... this is not it._

"Really. Why?" she said, sounding as discouraging as possible.  
"The basic facts of reproduction are learned at home, not in schools."  
"Ideally that would be the case here too," she muttered.  
"What we do have is another form of... teaching."

_Spare me! I really don't want to hear this._

She kept her eyes down, trying to act neutral and not let the subject matter bother her.  
"There are men and women who are accomplished in the art of love making and willing to teach others. Young people from noble families sometimes make use of these services to learn... how to be more skilled as lovers."  
"I see."  
"That is not a custom in this realm, I believe."  
"It most certainly isn't."

_Noble families... Didn't someone say Thor's a prince? Which makes his brother one as well._

She was not going to ask. Under no circumstances was she going to ask.

He continued his thoughts on the subject till eventually he grew quiet, eyes resting on her where she sat against the wall.  
"Are you comfortable, my dear?"  
"Would you be?" She was not going to tell him exactly how much her backside hurt from sitting on the floor, or the strain she felt in her arms and shoulders at this point.

He leaned forwards, elbows on his knees.  
"I have to admit I find you a bit intriguing, pet. I would not have expected to come across anyone in this realm who'd pique my interest in such a way."  
"Why, because I'm not afraid of you?"  
He cocked his head, like he was considering her words.  
"In part, perhaps. But it is not the whole reason, I believe." He reached out to touch her arm and the restraints dissolved into nothing. "If you behave I will let you move about freely for now. That includes taking care how you speak to me."

She rolled her shoulders and bent her arms to soften up the joints, but didn't say anything. However much she hated to give in it was better not to provoke the situation now it started looking a little better.

* * *

Lying in bed for the night she was just about to doze off when she felt it. A hand on her back, featherly light. Her first reaction was to stiffen and tense every muscle in her body, but she managed to hold back. Knowing how resistance tended to encourage him it seemed better to pretend to be asleep. She forced herself to relax her breathing as fingers trailed lightly down her spine.

She was wearing clothes in bed, anything else was unthinkable in the present situation. It still felt disturbingly intrusive. Invasive and weirdly... sensual.

When his fingertips reached the bottom of her T-shirt and hit bare skin, she had to do everything in her power not to flinch. They lingered there, causing a tingling sensation.  
Eventually he withdrew.

It took a long time before she managed to get back to a state where she could sleep. She kept waiting for more touches and when nothing came it just made it more difficult to relax. It was that fear of not knowing what he was up to, as well as a strange and inappropriate feeling of... disappointment?

It was an outrageous thought and she shouldn't be having it.


	8. Uneasy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When your feelings go where they shouldn't.

Monday came. Half a day till her shift would start. How would they react if she didn't come in? Would one day of absence be enough to raise suspicion or would it take more? She honestly couldn't say. With nothing revealed on the news there was no way of knowing what was going on; if they were getting anywhere close in their search.

She hadn't forgotten the weird thing that had happened during the night, and she kept watching Loki with suspicion. He was up to something and she wasn't sure she was going to like it. She wasn't sure of anything anymore.

There was also the fact that things were drawing to a close. There was no longer any indication of the injury bothering him, which meant he might be ready to move on at any time now. Her fate depended on what he decided to do.

"Do you need to call in to your work?" he asked with a silken voice. She was sitting on the couch and hadn't noticed him walking up behind her.  
"Not yet." she said, wondering about the best course of action.  
"I would suggest you don't lie to me." The threat was subtle, but there.  
"My shift starts at two o'clock," she said, deciding on being honest, playing it safe. "They might call if I don't show up, but I can't say for sure."  
She jumped when his hands came down on her shoulders, squeezing lightly.  
"Look, I don't want them to come in here with blazing guns either," she said quickly. "I just can't predict what they will do."

Of course they were more likely to come with snipers, she realized. Stealth. It didn't feel any better and she shuddered involuntarily.  
"I don't intend to harm you if I can avoid it," he said, misunderstanding her reaction.  
"Why don't you just leave?" she suggested. "Now is a good time for it."  
"Is it now?" he said slowly, and there was something in his voice she couldn't quite make out. His hands were still where he'd put them and a thumb was lazily rubbing against her neck. It sent a shiver down her spine.

His other hand started playing with her hair, twirling it around his fingers from the feel of it. She sat totally still, bewildered at the gentle intrusion. Then he spoke again, softly:  
"Perhaps there is still something here for me."  
She swallowed, careful not to move. His voice was thoughtful, yet with that same edge he used whenever delighting in her submission.  
"What would that be?" she asked, not sure she really wanted to hear the answer. If he had something gruesome planned as endgame...  
"All in good time, my pet." He let go and stepped away, and she exhaled with relief.   
It left a peculiar... emptiness behind where he had touched her.

_Please tell me I'm not going full Stockholm Syndrome on the guy. I don't even like him!_

* * *

No, you can't like someone who keeps you prisoner and forces you to rub his feet. And orders you around like... Ugh, no, she needed to stop thinking. If only he would leave so she could report in to S.H.I.E.L.D. maybe bloodshed and disaster could be avoided. She certainly didn't want him to get away, but she didn't want to be caught in the crossfire when they took him down either.

_Just get him out of my life and let everything go back to normal._

But no, he had decided to linger for some reason. Intent on pestering her he sure wouldn't make things easy.

"What are you doing?" he asked curiously.  
She was crouching by the freezer when her thoughts went off in other directions. With effort she brought them back to the subject at hand.  
"Trying to find something to make lunch from. You've basically eaten everything in the house.  
"Not alone," he pointed out, looking amused.  
"If you'd told me you were coming I would have stocked up," she said sarcastically. "I hadn't exactly planned for a house guest." She brought out a bag: Swedish meatballs from IKEA, outdated last december. Oh well, desperate times called for desperate measures. Hopefully she wouldn't end up with food poisoning on top of everything.  
"You know, if you stay much longer I will have to go outside, at the very least for some shopping. How are you planning on handling that?"  
"I will be gone by tomorrow at the very latest," he announced. "I'm sure we can manage until then."  
She had her doubts, but didn't feel like arguing.

When he ordered her to call her workplace at S.H.I.E.L.D. he was standing behind her with a hand on her midriff and literally breathing down her neck.  
"I can put the phone on speaker," she suggested pointedly. "You don't have to stand that close to listen."  
"I care little of their words," he said. "I'm here to remind you what position you are in, and to not jeopardize it." There was a stern warning to his voice and he tightened his grip just enough to emphasize the words.

She made the call, acutely aware of the physical closeness. He didn't let go right away when she hung up.  
"Well done," he purred. "I'm pleased with you."  
"So... can you let me go now?" She hoped her voice didn't sound as unsteady as it felt.  
"Is that what you want?" he said, moist lips touching down on her neck.  
"Yes! Let go of me!

_Do not let go of me._

He only very slowly released her, hands caressing her as he withdrew them. Fleeing into another room she tried to gather her thoughts and slow her racing heart.

_What the hell is wrong with me?_

She had been worried of being raped, not of being seduced. This was almost worse.


	9. Lust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pure lust and little else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> T.W. Technically this is consensual, but the way it's written may come off a little dub-conny. Read with caution if you need to.

His mouth came down on hers, hard and unforgiving.

She had been leaning against the wall with her arms folded protectively over her chest. His steps were so silent she couldn't say whether he'd been standing in the doorway watching her first or if he'd just walked right in.

A voice inside her insisted: "Push him away, push him away!" She hesitated, arguing that it wouldn't work, that he was a lot stronger than she was, but it felt like a hollow excuse. She hadn't let anything but self preservation hold her back from fighting before.

He'd walked up to turn her against him in one quick move, then pressed her up against the wall and attacked her mouth.

The kiss made her melt inside. The smooth invasion of his tongue in contrast to the hard way he pinned her to the wall, taut muscles felt against every inch of her body, with the texture of leather under her fingers and a faint scent of sweat and arousal. And that overwhelming strength.

_He's not human. It's not a normal person I'm dealing with._

That should have turned her off. It didn't.  
She moaned involuntarily, faintly hoping it sounded like a protest rather than... something else. He didn't seem to care. A hand on her backside pushed her against him and the touch itself sent shivers through her core as long fingers found their way in between her thighs.

Short, rapid breaths flicked through her nose as he wouldn't let go of her mouth. Though the kiss softened after the initial assault it was no less invasive. The tongue contact radiated a fluttering sensation down through her chest which intensified where their bodies touched.

When he finally withdrew from her mouth she took a deep gasping breath only to feel a hand tugging her pants open and push them down below her hips. It took him mere seconds to get rid of them all together and return to claim her mouth while sliding a finger between her folds, searching for slickness.

He pulled at her lip, sucked on her jawline, ran his teeth along her neck. His lips brushed her ear, closing around her earlobe. She was so absorbed in the sensations she barely noticed when he unlaced his pants; only paid attention once she felt the touch of silky skin against her thigh. 

He lifted her leg up to his hip and held it there while positioning himself, impatiently lubricating his hard length against her entrance. She twitched at the sudden contact with her most sensitive spot. Then he tightened his grip on her, drawing a sharp breath as he thrusted in.  
"Wait! Careful... "  
"Shh, relax!" came his whispering voice in her ear. "You're more than ready. Just relax."

She did, forcing her body to obey. It was too long since she'd let anyone inside; she wasn't used to the invasion, and there was still the voice that said she shouldn't go along with this, shouldn't allow it to happen, but it was like sense and reason didn't matter.

He lifted her other leg up so they both embraced his waist, and pushed himself deeper.  
"Open your eyes!"  
She obeyed and he drove home, buried himself to the hilt while putting pressure where she was the most receptive. He remained still for a few seconds, locking her in eye contact, before withdrawing and plunging back in over and over. She winced in a mix of pleasure and pain, but the pain subsided quickly. The angle made her squirm and whimper but it wasn't enough; she needed more.  
"Please!" It slipped out before she could think, she wasn't even sure she'd said it aloud until she saw the pleased look on his face.

He smiled with hooded eyes, leaned into her neck and mouthed over it with soft, wet bites. It made things worse, not better. Every part of her body was screaming for release, she just couldn't get it. She locked he legs behind his back, tried to keep him close long enough to get the friction she needed, but he wouldn't stop moving.  
"Loki, please!"  
He laughed softly and kissed her ear with moist lips, ran his tongue along the side of her neck. Breathing lustfully against her oversensitive skin he was lost in his own excitement, blissfully intent on tormenting her as long as possible.

"I will make sure you remember me." Voice halfway between a moan and a whisper. The intensity of his eyes wouldn't leave her alone; demanding her attention so she couldn't look away. There was no way to hide what she was feeling; she was totally bare and in his power and he revelled in it.

Then he changed his angle somehow and she let out a most embarrassing, needy sound, but couldn't help it, couldn't stop herself, as he held her firmly in place and wave after wave of pure pleasure coursed through her body. And then she felt him groan and stiffen and empty himself inside her, pressing her harder into the wall than ever before. And the realization, the very thought that he was leaving his seed inside of her, sent her over the edge a second time, helplessly clinging to his embrace.

He held her like he wouldn't let go. She was still clenching around him, wanting to prolong it as long as there was anything left to feel, and her legs embraced him tightly, maintaining the illusion that she could keep him there forever.

She should have felt guilty.

_I'm a horrible role model for the kids._

She should have been ashamed.

_Think about who he is!_

But she couldn't. It was the best thing she'd done in her life and she would do it over and over again a thousand times.

When letting go she would have dropped to the floor had he not held her up; her knees were too weak to stand on.  
"Don't lie to me; you delighted in this." he said, voice soft against her hairline. She could still feel his accelerated heartbeat.  
"So did you, obviously."  
He chuckled at her response.   
"I would bed you in every way imaginable if I didn't have to take my leave now. You may regret it all once I'm gone, but rest assured that I will not."


	10. Wake up call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just when you thought it was over and life's back to normal...

_"Rest assured that I will not."_

She should shower and call S.H.I.E.L.D. What would she say?

_You know that supervillain you're looking for? He just left my house where he's been hiding all weekend. And by the way, I fucked him thoroughly before he left._

She leaned her head into her hand and sighed deeply. There was going to be invasive questions. They would demand to know every little detail about the last three days. Every awkward conversation, every humiliating experience. How did he get here, why didn't you contact anyone, couldn't you have gotten away while he slept?

_I was chained to the bed, for fuck's sake!_

Oh, this was going to be so much fun.

* * *

Two weeks passed.  
She was asleep in the late night when something woke her up. Or someone.

He was leaning over her, a knee on the bed and hands securely planted on both sides of her head. It wasn't darker than she could see his face and that smirk could only belong to one person.  
"Have you missed me?" he said with a velvety voice.  
"What are you... how did you get in?  
"I have my ways, darling." He stroke a finger down her neck. 

She closed her eyes and swallowed.  
"Shouldn't you be far away from here by now?"  
"I should," he agreed, removing the covers to expose her shoulders. "There were certain... unforseen circumstances calling me back." He moistened his lips.

_Of course! Why did I think I had seen the last of him? He's probably going to haunt me till the day I die._

His hand moved caressingly over her shoulder and on to her breast. He leaned down to touch his lips to her neck, brushing over the skin with a pleased moan.  
"Frankly I couldn't get you out of my mind, my dear."  
She gritted her teeth and braced herself for pushing him off, but didn't follow through.  
"Do you have any idea what they put me through after you left?" she hissed. "All the questions I had to answer?"  
"And you told them all the delicious details, I'm sure." His voice sounded more than a little amused as he nuzzled her ear.  
"Absolutely not!"

They must have noticed she was holding something back, but there was no way she was going to tell the people at S.H.I.E.L.D. about the carnal part of her hostage situation. Embarrassing didn't begin to describe it.

_I let this guy ravage me and I enjoyed it! How depraved can you be?_

He removed more of the covers and straddled her hips. Licking his thumb he flicked it over her nipple and bent down to kiss her. It was inevitable that her body would respond to this. She knew it from the moment she saw him leaning over the bed.

He sucked at her lower lip, appearently set on taking his time. Not that there was any hurry. S.H.I.E.L.D. had no reason to think he'd come back; they wouldn't be watching this house.

He urged her lips apart and slipped his tongue into her mouth, purring with pleasure. Like a big horny cat. Placing her hands on his arms, she felt leather and fabric under her fingers. A lock of his hair tickled her jaw.

She made a sound between a moan and a sigh. Suddenly there was a shift in sensations and she felt bare skin against her own. He took a long, deep breath and rested his chest against hers. His length, silky and stiff, pressed into her lower belly.  
"This is so much better," he murmured and stretched his legs, covering her body with his like he wanted to feel every inch of it. He was heavier than the slender frame would make you believe, but the pressure felt too good to complain. There was something deeply arousing about being pinned down and unable to move.

He gently pushed her legs apart and ran his hand along her waist.  
"We have so much more time now, don't we, love?"

_Seductive bastard!_

"Loki..."  
He silenced her with another kiss, deeper and more intense. Grabbing her leg under the knee he pulled it up till her inner thigh pressed against his hip. Two fingers slid into her, meeting very little resistance, pressing deeper while a slick thumb seeked out her most sensitive spot.  
She couldn't move; he held her down thoroughly with his own body weight, making sure she lay completely still while he teased and explored her as he wanted. It quickly became unbearable and she whimpered in frustration. As he shifted his length left a moist trail on her lower belly.  
"I said I would bed you in every way," he reminded her. "I don't care how long it takes. Your mortal body will know what it's like to be owned by a god."

_How can he say such things and make it sound like they're the hottest words ever spoken?_

Somehow, she suspected, the same words from anyone else would sound utterly ridiculous. _Because he's serious,_ she realized. _He actually means them._

He bit into her neck with sharp teeth, making her cry out. Then she felt him remove his fingers, but before she could protest he entered her with his length instead, pushing in to the hilt. Not fast, just unrelenting. She clenched her legs around him, tilting her hips to feel him deeper.

Damn, she wanted this, and it was the most terrifying thought that the authorities would somehow discover where he was and walk in here just as she was lost in complete and utter pleasure under him. She would never live it down. Never in ten lifetimes.

She felt his hands capturing her wrists and hold them down and it quickly made the flutter in her belly melt into a sweet, longing sensation. She could do nothing to stop or encourage it, only let it take it's course till she climaxed in his embrace, feeling him do the same just moments after. He shuddered and hissed in her ear, muscles tensing as he spilled inside her.

Again he wouldn't let go. She was trapped under his body, now considerably more relaxed, and he wouldn't move or pull out, just lie quiet while breathing heavily against her bruised neck. The grip around her wrists loosened but his hands didn't move away.  
She relaxed her legs and dropped her feet down on the bed. 

Two weeks... and he came back. What was she to make of this?

_I'm not that good, am I?_

She moved, trying to nudge him out of the whole post-coital bliss thing, but he tightened his grip on her.  
"We are not done yet, love." He pushed himself up on his elbows, looking down at her with dark, green eyes. "I intend to make the most of my stay here, brief as it is. And I promise you..." He brushed his lips against hers. "... you will not be left wanting."


	11. Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When you wake up in a god's arms things are bound to get interesting.

"Not done yet" was an understatement. It took less than ten minutes for him to recover and what followed wasn't exactly brief.

She fell asleep exhausted and with aching legs, not entirely sure he didn't plan on continue pounding her in her sleep.

When she woke there was full daylight outside, sun seeping in around the curtains. She made an attempt to move, only to find herself trapped by a strong pair of arms. Loki lay tightly snuggled against her back with his knees behind hers. She could feel his cool breath at the back of her neck. Clearly he hadn't deemed any chains necessary this time.

For a moment she wasn't sure what to do. Somewhere back in her mind she hadn't expected him to stick around.   
"Mmm..." came a purring voice from behind and his grip around her tightened briefly.

_Comfortable, are we?_

It sure seemed like it; not just horny, but cuddly as well. He pressed his thighs against hers and sighed contently.

She still couldn't say that she liked him, _or_ trusted him, but he hadn't actually caused her physical harm. And he definitely could have, everything considered.

"Why did you come back?" she asked, not ready to believe herself being the real reason.  
"I've already told you, love." He sounded amused. "I really couldn't get you out of my mind."

His hand caressed her breast, slender fingers playing with a nipple. She felt something stirring against her ass.  
"Are you going to make me rub your feet again?" she said suspiciously, wondering just how much this visit was going to be a repeat of the last one.  
He chuckled, clearly in a good mood.  
"Would you like me to? Or... perhaps some part of me you haven't attended to yet?"

There was definitely a hard-on pressed against her backside. He shifted a little and it became even more evident.  
"I'd rather have you use your mouth than your hands, of course," he mumbled suggestively against her ear.  
"Uh... " That sent an unexpected shiver through her lower parts. She felt his lips brush over her ear and continued down along her neck with soft, wet nibbles. "Would you mind showering first?"

He smiled, she could feel it. Damn! Now it sounded like she'd go along with it.  
"It's not that I'm squeemish, but..." But what? She just didn't know anymore. This man... alien... whatever he was, took away her ability to think.  
"As you wish, darling." He climbed over her and stepped out of the bed only to lift her up in his arms and carry her into the bathroom.  
"Stop! What are you doing?" If she hadn't been so surprised she might have been grateful. All the activity during the night hadn't exactly left her body in pristine condition; she was sore in places she didn't know existed and seriously concerned about her future ability to walk.

It was just so embarrassing.

"Don't ever do that again," she breathed as he let her feet down on the floor and turned on the shower.  
He just laughed.  
"Come here, love," he said and pulled her in under the water, not bothered that it was still cold. Of course, with such low body temperature he probably preferred it.  
She shuddered against the onslaught and was more than happy when things turned more bearable.  
"I'm sorry, darling. I didn't realize it would make you uncomfortable." He sounded genuinely regretful.  
"And here I thought you did it on purpose," she said sarcastically.

He embraced her against the wall and kissed her seductively. The initial chill had done nothing to soothe his arousal and when he gently pushed her down on her knees his erection was at full size and unyielding against her tongue.

She would not have cared for this with anyone else, but it was something about this man that set all her senses on fire. Something that reached all the way into her darkest corners and brought out desires she didn't know she had.

Like the excitement that hit her when she closed her mouth around the perfectly shaped length and felt him tensing up in response, drawing breath through his teeth.   
She felt a hand at the back of her neck as she pulled back and then forth again, sliding her tongue underneath for more pressure. It took surprisingly little time before he released in her mouth and held still until she swallowed.

* * *

It was odd to sit across him at the table once more. Like the previous weeks hadn't separated them at all, like nothing had changed. Yet everything had.

He looked healthy, with no signs of the injuries of the last encounter, and he still hadn't cut his hair; it gave him a wild, unkempt look that used to be matched by the craziness in his eyes. She saw none of the latter now. He was relaxed and cheerful, like he thoroughly enjoyed their time together.

"I don't know what to do with you," she confessed. Translation; she didn't know what to do with her own feelings. This arrangement, if it could be described as such, was highly inappropriate. Not just from a legal point of view, but an emotional one as well. Lust shouldn't make you ignore every ounce of common sense and moral responsibility.

He smiled broadly, and really didn't look like someone who would conquer the world and murder people at whim.  
"I'd say you're doing quite well as is," he answered her lament, popping a piece of ham into his mouth, then looking at her with eyes glittering of mischief. "Otherwise I'm sure I can think of something we haven't tried yet."  
"Dammit, can you think of anything besides sex?"  
"Not when I'm with you, darling."

That actually made her blush. And she hadn't blushed since she was a teenager, she was pretty sure. 

_There is something seriously wrong with me to be turned on by this. There has to be._

In the hallway he held her close, pressing her against him till she was made aware of every inch of that lean, powerful body, and then he kissed her long and deep.  
"You're such a resilient little mortal," he whispered. "I wonder just how much your body can handle. Perhaps we need to find out where your limits are."

And then he was gone and she was alone with the aches and the flutter in her chest, and not sure if those last words sounded more like a promise or a threat.


	12. Dangerous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back in a bad mood, but nothing a little not so tender loving can't take care of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> T.W. Ehm... yes, there might be a dub-conny vibe to this one as well. Sorry about that.

She didn't call S.H.I.E.L.D.

He would be long gone, just like last time, and she had no desire to explain why he'd come back to see her.

Instead she returned to work after her leave. It turned out the people responsible for setting her up with examining the prisoner had been severly reprimanded. It might have been a joke, but the hostage situation had turned it a lot more serious.

There was some walking-on-eggshell reactions among her collegues, but noone avoided her outright. She could tell they were curious and someone even expressed surprise that she was alive after the whole experience:  
"But isn't he extremely dangerous?"

_Oh, he is. In more ways than you think._

It was weird, but she couldn't be afraid of him, and she couldn't stop thinking about him either. The memories where too vivid; the feeling of his body against hers, his voice in her ear, his taste in her mouth. She found herself returning to them often, and once or twice she caught herself smiling in the act.

* * *

It was almost 3 weeks before he showed up again, and she began to think she had seen the last of him after all (and what _was_ it with that sting of disappointment she felt?). When he did appear however, it was no longer in a good mood. He walked in one late evening looking haunted, frustrated and... there was no other word for it: seriously pissed off.

After pinning her against the wall and kissing her with force he dragged her into the bedroom and started ripping her clothes off. Protests fell on deaf ears.

She was reminded of just how strong he was when he held her down and she literally couldn't move under his grip. Fingers dug into her wrists as he entered her roughly, cursing under his breath. It should have been scary, instead it was weirdly arousing.

"Look at me!" he demanded, forcing her legs up around his waist. The deeper invasion sent her gasping, and she should _not_ be turned on by this, she really shouldn't... It was brutal and merciless and she felt _used_... and it was so incredibly, mindblowingly hot.

He sank his teeth into her neck till she cried out, as much in annoyance as in pain, honestly, because that was going to leave a very visible mark. One that she would not be able to cover up when going back to work. Maybe that's exactly what he wanted, she thought suspiciously.

It didn't take long before he tensed up and spent himself inside her, hissing loudly between clenched teeth, and as arousing as that was it wasn't enough to trigger her own release. He lay motionless on top of her, breathing hard with his mouth buried in her hair and his hands still around her forearms like he'd forgotten he was holding on to them.

"Bad day?" she asked pointedly when he'd been quiet for a while. He ran his fingers along her arms as he withdrew them and rose on his elbows to look at her.  
"Merely an inconvenience ," he said with controlled disdain. "Your S.H.I.E.L.D. and their pathetic Avengers believing they could outwit me."

Hmm, considering his mood that would have been more than an "inconvenience", but she thought it better not to point that out. The worst seemed to be over, no need to trigger another outburst. Unless it meant more of the same... She pushed that thought firmly away and made an attempt to move. He held her back.  
"You are not going anywhere, love."

_Uh-oh_

"I may have robbed you of your pleasure," he said, looking her deep in the eyes. "We can't have that now, can we?"  
"I'm fine, really," she squeeked.  
"Only when I say you are, my pet."  
Okay, that sounded way too enticing for her own good.

He vanished the remainder of his clothes and before she could protest he flipped her over on her belly and moved on top of her, once again holding her down so she couldn't move. A hand slipped in under her hips and palmed her folds, pressing the heal against her sensitive spot while sliding his fingertips through her entrance. She gasped and let out a shameless whimper.

Fingers coated in fluids he began moving them back and forth, circling and stroking, making her squirm till he pressed down on her and forced her to stay in place, effectively immobilized while enduring his ministrations. He kissed below her ear, mouthing down her neck with moist lips and flicking tongue. She was positively overwhelmed by sensations.  
"Loki, please..."  
"Yes, say my name." He moved her leg to the side, pushing her knee upwards and inserting his own under her hip, lifting her just enough that he could push inside her again. 

_Lord! Don't guys need recovery time or something?_

This one clearly didn't; she'd noticed the same thing last time.

_He's technically a god, that's why. I'm so screwed._

Well, if he was going to fuck her to death there were worse ways to go, she supposed.

She moaned helplessly as he brought her over the edge, thrusting into her over and over again, and only slowing down when she was done, breathless and spent. He sighed against her ear, clearly pleased with her reaction.  
"That is better," he said, kissing her jaw and running a hand soothingly over her side. Then he proceeded to thrust harder, a hand firmly holding her hip in place, till he reached his peak and emptied himself deep inside her.

He slumped down next to her and pulled her into an embrace, her face against his neck. He flicked his wrist and the bed covers moved by themselves, enveloping their naked forms comfortably. She could feel his heartbeat, as intimate as the physical sensation of him inside her, of his cool sweat against her skin, and she found herself wanting to keep him close, never to let him go.

_Stay with me. Don't leave again. Just stay._

"I won't leave, love."

_Shit! Did I say it out loud?_

He chuckled.  
"I am not reading your thoughts, darling. You are merely holding on very firmly right now, like you fear I'm about to slip away. You need not worry; I have all intention to remain for another while."  
She loosened her grip, embarrassed about being so easy to read. Again, there was something about this man that brought out parts of herself she normally kept well to herself. It was like his very being there unveiled her secrets and called them out in the open.

He nuzzled her hairline and sighed contently, seemingly unbothered by her sudden clinginess, and she ended up falling asleep completely immersed in his presence.


	13. Suspicious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Loki gets a tiny bit possessive about things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to sereneFelidae for the idea. (And thanks to the people on tumblr who keep posting naked pictures of Sebastian Stan on my dashboard.)

And of course she woke up to another bout of lustfilled advances; her leg slung over his waistline and his length buried inside her already.

_How did I sleep through that?_

He nuzzled her neck with a pleased purr.  
"I never thought a mortal to be so engaging," he murmured, nibbling at her skin with more lips than teeth.  
"Really?"

A mortal. She really should find this off the charts disturbing. Being treated like a plaything by a god who seemed to find it perfectly natural to have access to her whenever he pleased.

He ran a wet, insistant tongue along the side of her neck, finishing by brushing his lips over her ear. She shivered from the sensation, a warm ripple of lust unleashing through her lower belly. He moved slowly, rythmically, filling her with deep, deliberate thrusts.

She would have been slick enough from fluids after the night before, making little preparation necessary when he entered her. That thought sent a quiver through her core and she gasped, feeling embarrassed by letting such a thing excite her so much.

With one arm holding her against him, the other hand carressed her hip and thigh with eager movements, as his lustful breathing gave away just how turned on he was. This was not going to last long, she suspected. His thrusts were already becoming faster, jerkier, and she felt her own pleasure building.

"Couldn't you've waited till I was awake?" she groaned, finding it increasingly difficult to talk coherently.  
"Absolutely not, darling. You are simply... irresistible when I wake to find you in my arms like this."

He seeked out her lips and kissed her eagerly, invading her mouth with a forceful, demanding tongue, like he wanted to dominate her with every inch of his being. She moaned helplessly, feeling trapped and overpowered by his incredible strength as much as his insistant, single-minded intent.

Withdrawing from her mouth he clenched his teeth and released, holding her firmly in place as his seed spilled into her, not giving her the tiniest chance to pull away and escape it.

It was enough to bring her over the edge, breathing his name as the sweet sensation coursed through her, over and over, and eventually melted into a pleasant, soothing aftermath as she felt his heart beating against her own.

It took a long time before he loosened his grip enough to let her move.

* * *

They showered and had breakfast together. He seemed in no hurry to leave this time, neither did he keep track of her every move, appearantly confident she wouldn't do anything to expose his whereabouts. It was a bit arrogant, she thought, but in all honesty she didn't want to turn him in either. She was too damn involved now, and it would look really bad if S.H.I.E.L.D. found out how much.

She took time off from work, claiming emergency at home (yeah, that was pretty accurate), and though Loki was watching her while on the phone he didn't seem to feel the need to monitor her too closely.

He stretched out on her couch, which was too short for him so he ended up resting his head on one armrest and his ankles on another. It didn't seem to bother him.  
"He's getting too comfortable," she thought. "It's like he's living here."

That would be a tremendously bad idea. She worked for S.H.I.E.L.D., for christ's sake. She couldn't have their most wanted criminal camping out in her house. It was bad enough that he made his nightly visits every couple of weeks.

_And fucks me into the mattress. Oh god, what have I gotten myself into?_

* * *

"What are you doing?" Loki's voice carried a considerable amount of disapproval and she almost closed the laptop on reflex.  
"What? Nothing."  
"Is this another of your 'sexual education' lessons?" he asked, frowning.  
"No, it's my tumblr account."  
"Then why are there naked males on it?"  
"Uh... Some people I follow post things..." She wasn't sure how to explain it. Did he even know what social media was?  
"Why are you looking at images of unclothed males?" he insisted.  
"Why not? I'm a grown woman, I can look at whatever I want." His tone was starting to irritate her.

His eyes narrowed and for a moment she wondered if her laptop was about to be retired violently. 

Then the doorbell rang.  
She got up to answer and left Loki to sulk about her tumblr choices. 

It turned out to be her neighbor, bringing a letter that had ended up at his adress by mistake. He was all disarming smile, blond hair and broad shoulders, and it wasn't the first time he'd come up with an excuse to see her. 

He was way into a detailed story about his latest session at the gym when something shifted in his facial expression and he suddenly seemed to run out of things to say. She knew what it meant before she even turned. Loki was standing right behind her with a dark, threatening expression on his face. All the black leather he was wearing didn't exactly soften the look.

The neighbor cleared his throat.

_Oh shit! What do I do now?_

"This is my... uh... friend," she managed to say, indicating Loki while carefully avoiding his name. It was bad enough that somebody got a look at him, she didn't need to identify him for them as well.

He stepped up to stand beside her, not taking his eyes off the man outside the door, and placed a possessive arm around her waistline. His fingers dug in so hard she was sure to end up with bruises.

The neighbor backed off.  
"I see," he said. "I will..." He made a gesture towards his own house. "Have a nice day."  
And he was gone. She quietly closed the door. Loki didn't let go of his grip on her.  
"This is what you do when I'm not here?" There was ice in his voice, but he didn't look at her.  
"Why do you care? And no, I don't _do_ him. He's just nice and... kinda cute."

Why did she have to add the last one? Just to piss him off?

"Cute?" And she'd thought his tone couldn't get icier than it already was. He was positively furious. "That ludicrous oaf is 'cute'?"  
"Loki..." He spun her around, facing her.  
"So when I leave you... you go to _that_?"

Okay, now he was just being ridiculous.

"Why do you care so much? I'm not interested in him, but it's not like you and I are engaged or anything. You come and go as you please; am I just supposed to sit and wait till you show up?"

She could see his jaw clenching. This was so not going well. And then there was the issue of him being seen...  
"Maybe you should leave," she said hesitantly. "If he puts two and two together and calls the authorities...."  
"Maybe I should not," Loki objected sternly, walking past her into the living room. He pulled away the curtain from the window, staring at the house across the street like he wanted it to explode in flames. "How often does he come here?"  
"Uh... a couple of times per week, maybe? Just chatting."  
"And you let him in?"  
"Not so far, no."

Loki's shoulder relaxed slightly and he turned from the window.  
"If you're so weary of waiting for me I suppose I will have to spend more time here," he concluded.  
"That's not what I sa..."

_Oh screw it!_

She returned to her laptop. There was no way to slow down this descent into depravity hell. She'd just have to roll with it.


	14. Worship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truths and practical implications of mythology

Okay, just how did she end up in this situation again? She hated being forced to rub his feet back then, so there was no good reason she would do it voluntarily now. It was ridiculous.

Yet here she was, sitting on the bed with one of his bare feet in her lap while he was leaning against the headboard, watching her thoughtfully.

He had spent the entire day around the house, occasionally thowing dark looks at the house across the street, but otherwise not touched the subject. Neither had he made any more comments on her online activities.

She wasn't quite sure what to do with him. They'd never had any prolonged interactions that didn't involve sex or him keeping her prisoner, so this was new territory. Domestic. Weird.

She rubbed his toes vigorously. It was funny how some parts of his body was just as sensitive as a humans, while others were about as vulnerable as a piece of rock. She'd never get over this strange alien physiology.  
"I don't understand how you can look so much like us and still be so different," she said. "Like, how can you heal so fast?"  
"There is much variation within Yggdrasil," he said. "It is not always visible to the naked eye."

There was something in his tone of voice that made her wonder, but she couldn't figure out how to phrase a question about it. Whatever it was it was too subtle.

"So the Yggdrasil is real? I'm not overly familiar with the stories, but there are more worlds than ours then? And Asgard?"  
"There is," he confirmed. "Nine realms in total."  
"Have you been to the others?"  
"I have, at one point or another."

Weird. They were talking about mythological worlds as if they were real and could be visited. Walked on. She wondered just how much of the rest was real too.  
"We have all kinds of myths about them, and about people like you."  
"So I've been told."  
"Any truth to them?" she asked curiously.  
"From what I gather there are truths, exaggerations and plain misconceptions. I did not give birth to the Allfather's horse."

His tone was paper dry as he made that statement.

"Is it true that Thor dressed up in a wedding dress to get his hammer back?"  
Loki huffed, but he seemed more amused at that thought than the previous one.  
"That would have been a sight to behold, but no, he did not. Subtlety and deception is not Thor's forte."

No, she couldn't imagine it either.

"I think some of my ancestors might have been vikings," she said. "On my grandmother's side, at least. They worshipped you people as gods, you know."  
"As they should," he said, perfectly serious. "The Aesir saved your people from the frost giants attempting to invade your realm. The mighty Odin and his warriors stepped in and forced them to retreat."  
Now, that last sentence was so full of sarcasm it was a miracle he didn't choke on it.  
"You have a problem with that?"  
"I wasn't born yet. Why would I?"

She let go of his foot and beckoned for the other one. He willingly obliged, tucking the first foot in under his thigh.  
"When _were_ you born?" she asked.  
"Why does it matter?" he asked instead of answering.  
"I'm curious how old you are."  
A smile curled his lips.  
"I'm a little over a thousand years old in your count. Does that satisfy your curiousity?"  
"You don't look it," she said, looking up to glance at his face. In some instances, like when he was asleep, he looked very young. In others...   
"We age at a different rate. One of those differences you alluded to earlier."

Right. She almost wished she hadn't asked. His answer took the term "daddy kink" to a whole new dimension.  
He looked at her with amusement.  
"Is something bothering you?"  
"I just have trouble wrapping my head around it."

She continued pressing her thumbs against the ball of his foot. Though she wasn't fond of admitting it there was something calming and comfortable about massaging his feet when they were talking like this.  
"When you are done with that I may have another way for you to worship me."  
A look at his smirking face told her exactly what he had in mind.  
"Whatever my ancestors did, it doesn't mean I have to do the same."  
"It is a privilege for you to serve your god."

She groaned at this new idea their conversation had appearantly put in his head.  
"I'm an atheist. I don't believe in gods."  
"I can prove to you that I am very real," he said, leaning over to take her arm and pulling her towards him.

She ended up on her back, and before she knew it he had straddled her shoulders, effectively immobilising her. A sudden rush of panic hit her.  
"I don't know about this..." She grasped his hips, about the only part of him she could reach at this point.  
"Shh. I will be very careful, darling." He waited patiently, shifting his weight to not crush her with it. She closed her eyes and moistened her lips, feeling her heart beating too fast. He smoothed her hair out of her face, fingers brushing against her temple.

There was arousal in his eyes. Anticipation. She knew he liked the power play as much as she liked being held down and played with. This was just... more of it. Somehow she felt more vulnerable, more locked down than other times and... Damn, he wasn't letting her go. Would he if she insisted?

He slowly unlaced his pants, taking all the time in the world.

_Maybe I shouldn't have pissed him off earlier today._

"You're afraid of me?" he asked. "I would not have expected it, after everything we've done."  
"I'm just not used to... this position." Was she going to admit to being afraid? Hell no! A little nervous maybe, she could give him that.  
He smiled slightly, sliding a hand under her neck for support.  
"There is a first time for everything."

There was something very erotic about that hand under her neck, gently holding her while he inserted himself into her mouth. Yet it was soothing at the same time, making her anxiety melt away.

It really didn't last long and she was surprised that he withdrew before releasing. She wouldn't have expected that.

Instead he removed her clothes, somewhat impatiently, and used his fingers to feel for slickness. His lips brushed against her ear, making her shiver.  
"It did entice you, did it not?"  
It did. She could hardly deny it when the evidence was right there.

She spread her legs to let him enter her, inhaling sharply at the invasion before closing her eyes.  
"Look at me," he whispered, making her open them again. His own were completely dark, instensely watching her. She could see his arousal building, and involuntarily rose her hips up to meet him.   
"Loki..." she murmured.  
"Yes... Oh yes..." He leaned down, touching his lips to hers. "I am your god, and you are mine. You will always be mine."


	15. Interesting things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of talks and sleepless nights.

He was sitting in the window towards the street, a dark, contemplating look on his face.   
"Planning on leaving again?" she asked, pushing down that little thought hoping he'd say no.  
"Is that what you'd want?" he said instead, not taking his eyes off whatever was outside.  
"I didn't say that, but the longer you stay the more risk that they find you, you know."  
"And that would bother you? Or perhaps it would be a relief? You could go back to your life and not worry about finding me in your bedroom at the wrong moment."  
"If you're implying that I'd have somebody else there..."  
"You're obviously free to do as you want," he interrupted. There was a seething bitterness in his voice. "As you said, we are not engaged. There is little I can do, not being here at all times."

Now where was this coming from, all of a sudden?

"That would be a moot point," she frowned, "since I'm not seeing anyone else. Why does it bother you so much? It's not like you're interested in me in any way beyond... what we're doing."

_Having incredibly good sex. Why can't I just say it?_

He didn't answer, only turned back towards the view outside.  
"I don't take interest in mortals," he finally said.   
"Oh. And getting physical doesn't count?"  
"It's my right to use you as I please; it makes no difference."

She was almost surprised at herself for not downright exploding at that remark, but there was something in his demeanor that held her back. Something she couldn't quite identify, but it made the dismissive, derogatory words sound... _hollow_ somehow. It was very subtle; maybe she imagined it.

She took a seat in the same window, mirroring his position with one knee up and a foot on the floor.  
"You really need to work on your attitude," she said.

The neighbor appeared from the door across the street, glancing in their direction before stepping into a car. Loki's eyes narrowed.  
"You may not be interested," she said, "but I enjoyed what we were doing earlier. The talk, I mean."

_Nice, now I've made a fool of myself. Feel free to laugh and throw another derogatory remark at me._

He didn't. Instead he looked at her again, face unreadable.  
"And you enjoy such talks with him as well?"  
It took her a second to realize he was referring to the neighbor.  
"Yes, and no," she said. "It's fun but it's not the same thing. He and I... we don't talk about anything important. It's just chatting for social's sake."  
"And our talks are not?"  
"No. You tell me things I didn't know, things that are actually interesting."

He seemed to ponder that. She tried to elaborate:  
"It's the same with the people I work with. They tell me what they've done in the weekend, which I honestly _couldn't care less about_! It's just the same thing over and over again. You have no idea how long since I had a conversation where I actually learned something new."  
A small smile curled his lips. He looked down at his hands as he was fiddling with them, picking at his fingers.  
"It would seem you can't be as open about your own doings," he suggested.  
"Not with you in the picture, no," she huffed. "They would probably look me up for..."

That was a nasty dose of reality right there. She could get in serious trouble for this. For not reporting where he was.

_I'm harbouring a fugitive in my own home._

That it was amazing to have him in her bed would not count as a valid excuse. She could see herself trying that argument and the very unimpressed reaction of her superiors.

She pinched the bridge of her nose. It was stupid and dangerous. She should put an end to it.  
"Will you stay another night?" she asked.

* * *

The night turned out to be anything but peaceful. Loki had nightmares, really bad ones, and it was next to impossible to shake him out of them. By five in the morning he was sitting up in bed, covered in sweat, and refused to sleep anymore.   
"I should probably leave," he said, rubbing his eyes.  
"I guess..." she began to say, then decided to hell with it. "I'd much rather you stay. If you can't sleep we'll just do something else, like early breakfast in bed or..."  
"I _can_ sleep," he insisted, tensing his jaw. "I simply prefer not to."  
"Yeah, yeah. Let's watch a movie and drink wine." She got out of bed and reached for her robe.  
"Is it costumary for Midgardians to indulge in drinking at this hour?" he frowned.  
"I've read that there was an artist colony in Denmark once where they had champagne for breakfast," she said. "Sounds like a good idea to me."

She went into the kitchen and collected some edibles, including a bottle she'd saved for whenever depression would strike, and returned to the bedroom, picking up her laptop on the way. Settling in beside him she placed the computer on her lap.  
"The sound won't be the greatest," she said, "but I only care about the pictures anyway."  
Loki looked decidedly unimpressed.  
"And what makes you think I will enjoy this... earthly entertainment?"  
"You've never seen a Midgardian movie before? Too busy with taking over the world?"  
He narrowed his eyes at the jab, but didn't retort.

Since he seemed set on disliking whatever she chose it didn't matter, she reasoned, and picked one of her own favourites.

"Why are there nude women? Is this your 'social media' again?"  
"It's just ads. Ignore them. When you use these sites you get all kinds of weird..." She clicked away a pop up window about gambling. "...ads to go with them. We won't see them once I've found the right link." She fiddled around till she found what she was looking for, then proceeded to open the wine bottle.  
"Oh right, glasses..." She left and came back. "I'm curious whether alcohol affects you," she said while filling his.  
"I doubt it compares to Asgardian standards," he said, proceeding to take a sip. 

She couldn't blame him for being grumpy, she thought. The nightmares had clearly bothered him, though he wouldn't tell her any details. There was some scarring on his body, she'd noticed, and it made her wonder about a possible connection. Bad experiences?

_Get him drunk first. Then I'll ask._

It briefly crossed her mind that it might be dangerous to get Loki drunk. He was already overpowering in a number of ways, and making him loose inhibitions might not be a wise move.

"What do you think?" she asked.  
"It's quite... simple," he said, "but not undrinkable."  
Now that sounded awfully close to an approval. Norse god finds Midgardian wine "drinkable".

It turned out he wasn't affected. Appearantly earthly beverages were shamefully weak in comparison to the Asgardian equivalent. She found that intriguing. Another alien difference to explore.  
"So if my people would drink your stuff, would that knock them out?" she asked.  
"Probably. It depends on the amount." 

She was beginning to feel tipsy herself. No surprise since she hadn't eaten anything since last evening. She was also paying less and less attention to the movie.  
"Did you ever attend those Asgardian sex lessons you told me about?"  
"I did not," he answered, seemingly unbothered by the intrusive question. "I learned... in my own ways."  
"Many girlfriends?" she asked, suddenly curious.  
"Not particularly. I was merely... enthusiastic in learning when there was an opportunity."  
"But you're a prince, right? Wouldn't that have made you popular among the girls? It would be a big thing here, even if we don't have much royalty anymore."  
Loki's mouth twitched a little.  
"Only if you're the first born son of Odin and heir to the throne," he said with badly hidden venom. "My so-called brother was popular enough."

_Oh..._

She wondered if that was where all the possessiveness came from.

" _I_ like you,"she said and leaned her head on his shoulder.  
"That is nice, darling." He seemed amused by her confession; the sarcasm carrying a softer tone to it. "You may want to take care with that wine."


	16. Teasing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the bickering continues...

She woke up with her head in his lap, cushioned by the bed covers.

_Whoops! That's embarrassing._

She couldn't have slept for long; it was still morning. Probably just dozed off.

Loki was busy exploring her laptop. She wasn't particularly surprised that he had figured it out; he was certainly bright enough.  
"You haven't cracked all my passwords now, have you?" She moved off his lap to sit back up.  
"You mean the ones like 'Loki's pet'?" he smirked.  
"You wish! I would never use that as a password. What are you doing?"  
"Merely exploring your 'net' as you call it. It gives quite an insight into your culture."  
"Just watch out where you go; not everything is representative."  
"Like the nudity that seem to prevail on many of your pages?"

She _almost_ blushed.  
"It's not just _my_ pages. And nudity here is... complicated."  
"It is frowned upon, yet encouraged at the same time," he observed.  
"Something like that. We have a complicated relationship with sexuality. Maybe it's a human thing."  
"Not entirely..." he said, sounding a bit absentminded. Something had appearantly caught his attention. "Most cultures have some issue around the subject."  
"So Asgard have 'issues' too?" she asked, suddenly curious. He gave her a sideway glance.  
"I don't think we should dwelve into the intricacies of those."

He was brushing some crumbs off the sheets, muttering in annoyance.  
"Can't you magic them away?" she suggested.  
He lifted an eyebrow.  
"I'm to waste my skills on cleaning up after your filthy habits?"  
"You ate those crackers too! I saw you."  
"Merely because you brought them here. I don't normally use my bedding as a meal table."  
"Snob!"

He closed the laptop and put it at the nightstand.  
"Now, be careful with your words. You don't wish to provoke me."  
"And just what would you do about it?" she teased. "Call me 'pet' again?"

He reached out to grab her, pulling her down till she was lying under him, all his naked weight pinning her down.  
"I clearly need to teach you how to behave before your god."  
"Oh, don't start that again..."  
He silenced her with a rough kiss, invading her mouth while sliding a hand down her hip and in under her backside, pressing her harder against him.  
"And you _are_ my mortal pet," he said while she caught her breath, "whether you wish it or not. It would serve you better to accept it."

There was something about those words, the way he said them, that made her all but melt inside.

_Damn!_

He gripped her wrists and pulled them over her head, then conjured the softer restraints and attached them to the bed.  
"What the f...?" She pulled to get free. No give. She looked at him incredulously. "You can't be serious."  
"Oh, I'm very serious. I've dreamt of doing this since I saw you so delicously chained up during my first visit."  
"You weren't visiting. You kidnapped me!"   
"A matter of semantics," he said and nuzzled her neck. He moved over the side of it with soft, moist lips, like he truly enjoyed tasting her skin and playing with her reactions.  
She squirmed under his grip.  
"Could you ever... not be an ass?"  
"The more you try to insult me the more I will have to discipline you." He moved down to her shoulder, sucking and licking at the skin. "And perhaps more severely too."

More severely... She wondered just what that would entail. There were only so many things you could do. Or was there? Lord knew what he had hidden away in that magical compartment of his.

His mouth closed around a nipple before he began flicking his tongue over it. She winced.  
"You are insufferable... you entitled..."  
"Now, now." He looked at her with a wide grin, eyes glittering. "I intend to do with you as I please, and you have only to endure it. I suggest you simply accept and give in to me."  
"If you think I'm just going to..."  
"You don't have much of a choice now, do you?" he interrupted.  
"You're really only supposed to do this with someone you trust," she protested as he moved down over her belly.  
"And you don't trust me, darling?"

_Damn it, I do. What's wrong with me?_

"I really shouldn't," she muttered, but it was a lost cause, and he knew it as well as she did.

He kept moving his mouth over her skin, licking and nibbling at every sensitive spot, including spots she didn't know _were_ sensitive. He didn't treat it as a chore either, but genuinely seemed to enjoy what he was doing. When he reached her folds she tensed up, but he ignored her reluctance and continued as before, a little more gently.

It was always a strange sensation to be intimate with someone who wasn't _warm_ like normal people. Not that he was ice cold either, just... unusually cool to the touch. The contrast was even greater now, when his breath and tongue made contact with her most vulnerable area, and she shivered a little.

He seemed to take it as encouragement, flicking his tongue over her sweet spot, just soft enough to awake her arousal. It didn't take him long to figure out what made her respond the most. If it wasn't experience that made him so good at this it might well be his perceptiveness.

She was right on the edge when he withdrew and she couldn't help whimpering in protest. He looked up and smiled.  
"Right where I want you, darling. Aching for me." He sat up, taking hold of her thighs and positioning himself between them. He was at full hardness, clearly as aroused as she was.

_Wow, a man who actually enjoys pleasing a woman. Now if he just wasn't an alien and a criminal and tried to conquer the world..._

He pushed into her, holding her hips firmly, and it was almost unbearable. She was so close, yet couldn't get enough friction to climax. He purposefully kept an angle that kept her in that state, prolonging her agony as long as possible.  
"Now, darling," he finally whispered, leaning over her and making her look into his eyes. She moaned and let go, tensing against him while he buried himself deep inside and released as well.

The last thing he did was removing her restraints and she wrapped her arms around his back, holding him close, breathing in his scent as he fell asleep.


	17. Close encounters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When it's best to keep your mouth shut.

The last words on her mind before drifting off herself was what he had said just as he'd relaxed on top of her:   
"You really think anyone else can give you what I do?" 

It was also the first words to come to mind when she woke up alone. The sheets were cold; he had been gone for a while. The house was empty, no trace of him anywhere, except the dishes in the sink.

_His royal highness couldn't be bothered to clean up, could he?_

And not to say goodbye either, appearently.

She wondered when she'd see him again. Things had been different this time, more... intimate. Intimate in another way than the usual, physical way their encounters used to play out. She wondered if she'd made a fool of herself. Getting attached to Loki was a bad idea, letting him know was worse.

Yet she missed him. He was on her mind all day, even when she went back to work.

When she saw a couple of Avengers walking by, in conversation with Nick Fury, she hurried past with her eyes downcast. Unfortunately that made her walk straight into the chest of a man who came strolling a few steps behind them. A very impressive chest, attached to a pair of equally impressive bare arms. Her eyes wandered upwards.

_Uh-oh!_

The last person she wanted to bump into right now was Loki's brother.

Thor smiled. She just mumbled an apology and fled, almost tripping over her own feet in the process. She imagined he got that reaction a lot, so there was no reason he would suspect the real cause of her discomfort.

That's what she was still telling herself when he showed up in the medical area an hour later, requesting to talk to her.

* * *

Merely days later she woke up from a weird erotic dream to the touch of cool skin against her back and a hand sliding in between her legs.  
"What...?" For a moment she wasn't sure if she was still dreaming, but it felt... real. The fingers, long and dextrous, began exploring and massaging her in an insistant manner. "Loki?"  
"I love the way you say my name, darling." He brushed her hair away and lowered his mouth onto her neck. "You've been having dreams about me?" His voice had a humorous and oh so smug tone to it. "You're quite ready for me."  
"I'm not!" she replied on impulse. Frankly she couldn't recall the details of the dream, only that it was decidedly sexual. Most likely Loki was involved, but damn if she was going to give him the satisfaction... "What are you doing?"  
"Taking what I want." He lifted her leg and rubbed his length against her entrance before slowly, slowly easing himself inside. It was easy. She was indeed ready, infuriating as it was to prove him right.  
"But why are you here? You've never come back so quickly before." She sucked in air through her teeth when he suddenly pushed all the way inside, hands firmly gripping her hips.  
"Would you rather have waited longer?" he murmured, lips nibbling on her neck, sending shivers through her body. "You seem pleased enough to see me."  
"Don't flatter yourself," she said, accidently mirroring the words he had been using when they first met.

He chuckled and began moving his hips faster, rougher, while one hand travelled up to her breast and the other seeked out her sweet spot, teasing it with two slick fingers. She was firmly locked in his embrace and knew he wouldn't let her go until he was satisfied. It was disturbingly arousing in itself. Like being held hostage in the most literal sense.

He pulled out almost completely before forcefully pushing his way inside, over and over again, and it was becoming borderline painful but she didn't want him to stop. The way he held her she couldn't move much and she was sure he was doing it on purpose, maintaining his control while he drove her to the whimpering edge of release, only to stop and whisper:  
"You belong to me, yes?"  
"Yes." She could barely get the word out, flushed from the uncoiling pleasure in her core. His fingers tapped so very lightly on the sensitive area, keeping her on the brink but not letting her cross over it.  
"Yes, what?" His voice was raw with arousal, more a growl than a whisper.  
"I... I belong... to you." Finally satisfied he began moving again and the wanted release coursed through her veins like wildfire. Her muscles clenched around him and it didn't take long before he shuddered against her, burying his face in her hair as he let himself go.

He kept her close long after, breathing into her neck, and she would have thought him falling asleep if his grip on her hadn't still been so firm. It was a strange, intimate sensation to feel his chest moving against her back.   
"What are you doing to me?" he murmured, so softly she could barely hear it. "I seem unable to stay away, despite telling myself I should."

* * *

"I ran into your brother the other day," she said when they were seated at the breakfast table.

_"I understand you were the one my brother kept prisoner after his escape."_   
_"Yes." There was little point in denying it. Someone must have told him._   
_"I am truly sorry for what he inflicted on you. I will make sure he is caught and brought to justice for his crimes."_

Loki raised his eyebrows.  
"You talked to Thor? Now that would have been an interesting encounter. Did you tell him how I pleasure you? How you lie breathless beneath me after I've ravished you over and over again?"  
"Oh, shut up! I would never do that." No way was she going to tell _anyone_ what truly went on between her and Loki. "He was concerned about the abduction and wanted to apologize for your behaviour."  
"Interesting," Loki said, looking a mixture of thoughtful and mocking.  
"Why?"  
"My dear brother was never one for such.... volunteering of responsibility. Perhaps he has matured, after all." He rolled up the last piece of ham around a piece of cheese and put it in his mouth. Somehow he managed to make even a mundane activity like eating seem erotic.   
"What about you? Were you responsible?" she asked, trying to consciously shift her mind to something else.

Loki didn't answer at first. He licked his lips, seemingly lost in thought.  
"I suppose I was," he said finally. "Not that it did much good."

_"Loki wasn't always... as he is now. The brother I grew up with had his moments of mischief but he was never like this, so harsh and vindictive." Thor made a pensive pause. "Perhaps I didn't know him as well as I thought."_

"Why did it change?" she asked, trying not to reveal just how curious she was. He might have caught it anyway, since his gaze intensified.  
"Why do you wish to know?"  
She fumbled for an answer.  
"I don't know, I just... I don't know anything about you, really."  
"That may be for the best," he said, voice hardened.

She left the subject and they finished their meal mostly in silence.


	18. The voice of unreason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Public seduction and potential embarrassment

"I'm thinking of changing work," she said when she was lying against his chest on the couch, watching a movie on TV. "Maybe move as well." She wasn't sure how she'd landed herself in this position, cuddly and intimate and distinctly non-sexual as it was.

"Why?" Loki asked, running a strand of her hair through his fingers. He was leaning against the armrest, with his long legs on both sides of her.  
"Because I don't want to risk getting caught. If I quit soon they will think it's because I was... because of the whole hostage situation. It makes sense that I don't feel safe working there, or even living at the same place, anymore."  
"You are sure you can leave your handsome neighbor behind?" Loki said with lazy sarcasm.  
She smacked him on the thigh.  
"I don't care about my neighbor. When will you get into you thick head...?"  
"Now, now." He gripped her wrist and held it still with a minimum of effort. "You remember what happens when you're disrespectful, do you not?"

The tone of his voice made her alarmingly weak in the knees.  
"You wouldn't..." She stopped herself. Of course he would. He had proven again and again that he _would_. "I'm not your pet," she asserted in a more careful tone.  
"Oh, but you are," he said. "And I believe you take pleasure in it, or you wouldn't keep welcoming me into your home and your bed."  
"I'm not welcoming you! You break in! You don't give me a choice."  
"Are you absolutely sure of that?" he murmured, breath fluttering against her ear. The weakness she felt at this point was not limited to her knees.

His other hand rested on her lower belly, and as they talked he slipped it in under her shirt and slowly caressed her skin with his thumb.  
"Loki..." She was also beginning to feel a distinct hardness pushing against her lower back. And the curtains were open. Crap!  
"If you didn't desire me being here you could have alerted S.H.I.E.L.D. to my presence, yet there is noone watching your house."

True, she could have done that. Except her delay in doing so would have seemed very suspicious.

Loki continued:  
"If you didn't wish for me to ravish you I am sure you would have told me to stop."  
"You don't listen," she protested faintly. That hand was moving lower, gently stroking back and forth beneath her belly.  
"Yes, I do," he said. "I pay attention, close attention, to how you respond to my touch." His lips brushed against her neck, just under the ear, silky soft. "And you have not rejected me, not even once."

_Damn!_

"I can't keep doing this," she whined. "You're a fugitive, an escaped war criminal, for Christ's sake! You tried to take over my planet!"  
"My sweet pet," he soothed, brushing his thumb over the wrist he was holding. "You are confused. I believe your heart and your head draws you in different directions."  
"That's not my heart," she replied drily. His hand was between her thighs now, fingers moving ever so slightly, one sliding up between...  
"Mmm... but the rest of you is just as willing. It is only you're mind that's holding back."

Seriously, this man's voice had some sort of magic to it. The mere sound of it sent flutters and warm ripples through her body. She suddenly remembered the words he'd let slip during the night.

_"What are you doing to me? I seem unable to stay away, despite telling myself I should."_

Though it was hard to imagine now, there had been a need to them, a vulnerability of sorts.

Suddenly he turned her around, and before she'd figured out what he was doing he had positioned her on his lap, straddling his hips and facing him.  
"People could see us," she cautioned and tried to slip off to go and close the curtains, but he held her in place, hands on her waist. "What if someone walks by?"  
"Let them see," Loki said. "They will learn what it looks like to be pleasured by your god."

Suddenly both their pants shimmered out of existence and she felt naked skin... and a very stiff erection pressing up against her most intimate area.   
"You're just hoping my neighbor will see us!" She blushed.   
"That would be quite a treat, wouldn't it?" Loki teased, but his eyes were darkening, arousal taking over. He was moving under her, rubbing himself between her folds while his hands moved down and settled on her hips.  
"I will never be able to look him in the eye again."  
"Good," Loki said and lifted her enough to slip inside. Her weight did the rest and she gasped at the sudden and merciless invasion. She was more ready than she'd realized, but it was still borderline painful.

Loki's eyes were half closed as he moved his hips against her, watching her between eyelashes as black as his raven hair. He was remarkably beautiful in that moment, like sculpted innocence.

His fingers caressed her thighs, stroking her skin eagerly, grip tightening as he was approaching his peak. She placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned forward to get the most pleasure out of their movements. He moaned approvingly, digging his fingers into her flesh till she squeeked, and bared his teeth, utterly absorbed in the sensation. To see his reaction was incredibly arousing in itself and when he finally emptied himself in her she followed quickly, pressing herself against him while squeezing her thighs around his hips.

She remained in place, breathing heavily, till he reached up and pulled her close, holding her tightly against his chest. It was almost too much, the pressure on her ribs, but she didn't want him to let go just yet, so she endured as long as she could.  
"You are mine," he whispered before loosening his grip to allow her some breathing room.

Everything he'd said was true; she couldn't deny it however badly it fit into her present reality. If she'd just tell him to stay away she wouldn't have to quit working at S.H.I.E.L.D.; she could go back to a normal life and let Loki be a part of her past. She wouldn't have to live in fear of someone finding out the truth, or shame over what she was doing. She could relegate him to memory, an experience she once had, a risky adventure to tell on her deathbed in a faraway future when it no longer mattered.

So why did the thought hurt so much?


	19. Exposed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When there is no more hiding of the truth... for anyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, finally! This chapter has been more than half finished for ages, yet snailed forward with half a sentence at a time, while I've been ripping my hair out in frustration. But... I think I'm pleased with it. Please enjoy!

"Give me back my pants!"  
Loki's smile was infuriating in it's smugness.  
"I find that I much prefer you like this," he said and moistened his lips. Of course his pants where back and on, only hers were still missing.  
"Give them back, you twit!"  
"I wasn't aware it was the only pair you owned," he said, eyebrows raised as he watched her naked thighs with interest. "Perhaps you should invest in a more extensive wardrobe."  
"I _have_ other pants, but they're in the laundry, soaking wet. What the hell am I supposed to do?"

The first thing she had done when getting off him was to pull the curtains, the second was to find a fresh pair of panties. Now she was stuck trying to reason with a man who'd made it his mission to make her life difficult.  
"Give them back _now_!"  
"Or else?" he asked innocently. "I see only advantages to your predicament. Unless you're planning to venture outside, of course."  
"You son of a..." She was getting nowhere with him. It was like hitting your head against a brick wall.

She went into the kitchen, making sure to pull those curtains as well, and started making tea for herself. Loki could make his own if he wanted any.

She was just about done when a pair of cool hands settled on her hips and she jumped.  
"Now there must be something I can do to appease you," Loki said softly while stroking her thighs in the sensual manner that was typical for him."  
"You know what you can do."  
"I will return your garment soon enough. I merely wish to... enjoy the possibilities, so to speak." His hands wandered, sliding like silk over naked skin.  
"Haven't you done that already?"

He paused, but continued caressing her with one hand while wrapping the other arm around her waist.  
"I admit that might have been too brief for you to fully take pleasure in," he said.   
"No, I was fine. That's not..."  
"Shh, darling. I sense you are troubled." He kissed her by the ear. "There is something weighing on your mood."

And where did this sweet and caring tenderness come from all of a sudden? This wasn't Loki's usual demeanor at all.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she stalled.  
Loki tsked and put his cheek against hers.  
"Don't attempt lying to me, darling. You are quite horrible at it."

She turned around to face him.  
"Okay, where is Loki, and what have you done to him?"  
Loki laughed.  
"I am still myself, I can assure you. There are even ways I can prove it to you." He lifted her up to sit on the counter, almost spilling her teacup in the process. Standing between her legs he slid his hands into her underwear and rubbed her backside. She squirmed when he squeezed too hard.  
"Stop doing that! I have enough bruises on my... ow!"

She wouldn't be able to sit for a week if he kept this up.

"I want you to think of me when I can't be with you," he murmured and brushed his lips against her ear. "I want you to feel every bite and every bruise as you go about your day, and be reminded of me. You mortals heal so slowly... yet bruise so easily. It's a great advantage."  
"Sadist!"  
He chuckled softly and pulled her closer by holding her legs up to embrace his waist.   
"There should never be a day when you don't think of me."  
She held on to his arms so to not loose her balance.  
"I don't think you need to worry about that," she said. 

It was all too true; he was taking over her life. She never went long without thinking about him, remembering some of their interactions or even missing him. The latter was the worst. 

He stilled.  
"So that is what's troubling you," he said.  
She made a move to get off the counter but he held her in place.  
"Look at me," he demanded. When she didn't obey he took her jaw between his fingers and turned her face towards him. His voice was unusually gentle, lacking it's so frequent tone of teasing. "This is the reason you would rather give up your home, and your place of work, than ask me to leave and never come back?"  
"Shut up," she wanted to say, but couldn't get the words out. Her eyelids were burning, and she wanted to be anywhere but in this humiliating situation.

It was about to get worse.

Without a word he hoisted her up in his arms and started carrying her out of the kitchen.  
"Loki, please...!  
This was mortifying. Being carried like a child, and he didn't even seem to make an effort.  
"Don't be afraid of me, darling," he said while bringing her into the bedroom. "I merely wish to make sure that you don't run away from me. I will release you soon enough." 

With that he sat down on the bed with his back against the headboard. He didn't let her go, but kept her in his lap, firmly confined by his arms and chest.  
"It is not wise to attach yourself to me in such a way," he said. "There is much you don't know, and you would most likely hate me were you ever to find out the truth."  
"I..."  
"Shh, love. Merely listen, for now." He pursed his lips for a moment. "I just don't seem able to let you go. If I didn't know better, I would think you to have put a spell on me. One that keeps me returning, one that makes me pleased that you still want me, still welcomes me when I go to seek you out."

He paused and she waited, feeling the intimate movements of his chest, his hands on her body, his face so close to hers.

He tangled his fingers through her hair before running his fingertips over the back of her neck. The gesture was light yet sensual, his face thoughtful.  
"If I asked, would you follow me, I wonder? Would you cast aside your doubts and join me willingly?" He pulled her closer till his lips touched her brow. "If you did I fear... I wouldn't have the strength to ever let you go."


	20. Tenderness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can you really expect the traditional way when dealing with a god of mischief?

Loki's confession took her by surprise; she hadn't seen that coming. In hindsight it made sense; his unreasonable jealousy, the increasingly frequent visits, his stubborn insistance that it was only her body he was after. She should have seen through it, and maybe she would have if she had known him better, known how to make sense of the signs.

Nothing was what it seemed.

It had started with pure lust, she was sure of it, for both of them. But somewhere along the line other feelings had developed and she couldn't say when or why. It just happened.

"You know, it's supposed to be the other way around," she said. "You're supposed to fall in love first, then have sex. We got it in the wrong order."  
"We did indeed," Loki said, still holding her close. "Although I hesitate to call it wrong."  
"Damn it, what should I do with you? If S.H.I.E.L.D. finds out..."  
"Then don't let them find out," he interrupted. "There have been no signs of them suspecting you, no?"  
"Not yet," she admitted. "But I still think it's safest that I find work somewhere else."  
"It may be wise," he agreed and kissed her on the lips, more tenderly than usual.  
"You won't stop being rough with me in bed, will you?"  
"Wouldn't dream of it, love."

* * *

And he didn't. They started out slowly, but halfway through he was holding her wrists again, pinned to the bed on both sides of her head, and no amount of struggle would set her free. He was pushing into her in an increasingly fast pace, breathing heavily against her neck, sucking at her jaw and occasionally nibbling her with his teeth. She lifted her legs to wrap them around him, the only freedom to move she had at this point, and so had him rub against her sweet spot with every thrust.

It was almost too much. So close, so close. He pulled out almost completely only to push back in deep, over and over. She briefly wondered how long he could keep this up, being so obviously aroused he must have incredible self control.

Of course, he was a god; he was a thousand years old. Of course he'd learned to control himself.

She gave up a helpless whimper as his hips thrusted hard and fast against her, feeling the sweet tension rising. Not sure whether he cared or not, being so lost in his own bliss, she just closed her eyes and let it consume her, gasping out his name.

His fingers dug into her wrists, consciously or not, as he hissed between his teeth and let out a short, sharp moan, emptying himself inside her for what felt like a long time. 

"I will never have enough of you," he murmured finally, lips against her ear, and slowly let go of her bruised arms. He stayed on top of and inside her though, making no indication of moving. She let her legs fall till they rested against the bed. His weight would soon become uncomfortable, but she didn't want to let go just yet. She wanted to stay in this, his skin smooth against hers, his hair tickling her face, his breath against her neck.  
"I love you," she said.

* * *

They more or less stayed in bed for the rest of the day, ordering take-out for dinner. Loki grumbled about eating in bed again, but he didn't make any actual effort of relocating to the kitchen table, so she took it for what it was: making a point.  
"You're such a snob," she said, trying to fish out a cashewnut from her food.  
"I am not."  
"Come on, you're a prince; you were born to be a snob." She finally got the nut out and put it in her mouth.  
"I was told I was born to be a king," Loki said absently. "Of course I was never told in what realm."  
"What do you mean?" she asked, noticing the sudden seriousness in his tone.

He hesitated, and she wondered if he would even answer. He had sometimes hinted that he preferred her not knowing too much.  
"I was born in... another realm," he said finally. "The royal family of Asgard took me in when I was merely an infant."

He seemed to have lost his appetite and put the food down before continuing:  
"Odin's plan was to 'unite our kingdoms' as he put it. I believe he intended to put me on the throne of the other realm, bringing it in under Asgard's rule."  
"How would he do that?"  
Loki looked her in the eye, his jaw taut with tension.  
"By the weight of my heritage; I was the discarded son of their king."  
"Discarded?" She didn't like the sound of that, neither the look on Loki's face.  
"I was too small; he left me to perish in a temple so he wouldn't have to bloody his hands by killing me."

She put a hand over her mouth, suddenly unable to eat any more herself.  
"I... How can you even do that? What about your mother?"  
"I know nothing about her," Loki said curtly. "All you need to know is that Thor isn't my actual brother, nor is Odin my father. My life in Asgard was a lie."  
"I'm sorry." She was feeling slightly nauseous from his revelations. "Is that... is it common in that realm to leave children to...?"  
"It happens, I'm not aware of how often."  
"Here they used to do that too, but it's long ago." At least she hoped so; who knew if there weren't still isolated parts of the world where they did it? Unwanted girls, unwed mothers... She shuddered.

Loki put an arm around her and pulled her close.  
"Are you cold?" he probed, pulling her into his lap like earlier that day.  
"No, I'm just... It just gets to me. I know bad things happen, but they don't always come so close."  
"I brought it to your doorstep, I'm afraid." He nuzzled her hair.  
"No! I didn't mean that."  
He chuckled.  
"Don't underestimate me, love. I know well what your meaning is. Your compassion is moving, although you should be careful with whom you choose to spend it on." 

He held her tightly, a hand on her hip and her face cradled between his neck and shoulder. It felt... strange. Not just because it was a side of Loki she hadn't seen much of till this day. She wasn't used to be so snuggled, so comforted and cared for. On the other hand she hadn't been used to being so viciously fucked either, and she'd been able to adjust to that.

_How do we manage to do everything in the wrong order?_


	21. Interrogation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suspicions arise.

It was two days later things took a bad turn. She was asked to come into one of the conference rooms for a medical emergency, only to find director Fury, Steve Rogers (who she imagined was there to represent the Avengers), and two agents she wasn't overly familiar with, waiting. Nobody seemed to be hurt.

One of the agents closed the door behind her.  
"Please take a seat!" the director said, indicating the nearest chair.

_Uh-oh. Something's up._

"Ehm... what is going on?" She reluctantly sat down, on the edge of the seat. Their faces were serious, but otherwise unreadable.  
"It has come to our knowledge that the man who escaped our facilities and kept you hostage a while back has been seen more recently... in the vicinity of your home."  
"Ah..." She swallowed and cleared her throat to win time.

_No panic. It's natural to freak out if you hear something like that._

"I had no idea," she managed to say. "I don't see why he would come back."

_To fuck me senseless? Damn it, Loki, you're supposed to be careful!_

"I think you do have an idea, miss. Care to tell us what you know?"  
"I don't know what you're talking about." She tried to sound confused and offended at once, not sure how well she succeeded. Director Fury seemed unimpressed.  
"We received a tip from one of your neighbors, who caught a glimpse of a man visiting you, and got suspicious. Something didn't feel right, he said."

_Oh, that son of a bitch!_

"That must have been when Loki was keeping me prisoner," she tried. "I haven't seen him since."  
One of the other agents spoke for the first time.  
"Your neighbor was quite adamant that this happened at a later date. Appearently he was away during the weekend you were kept hostage."

_Shit!_

"I... I assure you I haven't seen Loki since..."  
The agent who hadn't yet spoken suddenly reached out and took hold of her arm. Before she could stop him he had pulled up her sleeve, revealing fingershaped bruises on her wrist.  
"Care to amend that statement, miss?"

She closed her eyes, forcing the panic down. Loosing her cool would do nothing to get her out of the situation.

"Stop!" came another voice. She opened her eyes. "Just stop. Don't you see she's terrified?"

Rogers was standing up, frowning at the other men in the room. Fury, who had been sitting on the edge of the conference table, straightened up.  
"Got anything to add, Captain?"  
"You bet I have! If Loki came back and threatened her you're not going to make her talk by intimidating her more."  
"Well then, what do you suggest?" Fury raised his eyebrow, waiting for an answer.  
Rogers ignored him and turned to her.  
"What did he do to you?" His tone was gentle, in contrast to the others'.  
"He didn't do anything!"  
Rogers nodded towards her wrist, now covered thoroughly by her sleeve.  
"Those tell me he did. What did he threaten you with?"

She couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't dig a deeper hole than she was already in, so she just shook her head. Someone took hold of her other wrist and exposed the bruises there as well.  
"These are only days old," one of the agents commented.  
"He's come back more than once, hasn't he?" Fury said. "Why is he so interested in you?"  
"I don't know," she lied.  
"You're safe here," Rogers said. "Whatever he told you he can't get to you here."

She didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. They didn't suspect her; they thought she was a victim!

_Oh Loki, I wonder if you would laugh at this._

"When you were giving your original statement, there were... indications you were leaving something out," Fury said. "It was attributed to your mental state at the time. Did he threaten to come back, by any chance? To harm you in any way?"  
"No, he didn't," she said. "You've got it all wrong. He chained me up a couple of times, but he didn't actually hurt me, just kept me from escaping."  
"But something made him come back. Your medical training, perhaps?"  
"He wouldn't let me touch him," she said honestly. "Said he'd heal better on his own, and just needed a place to stay in the meantime. And you already know that."

She had included all this in her statement after the first fateful weekend, giving as much detail as she possibly could without revealing the compromizing facts. She was at a loss when explaining his subsequent visits though, and needed time to think to come up with something plausible.

She was sure they had already sent agents to stake out her house by now, and if they ended up releasing her, most likely bug it too. Loki could take care of himself, she wasn't overly worried, but having S.H.I.E.L.D. going through her home and maybe find something... that was disturbing.

"We'd better bring Thor in on this," Rogers suggested. "He knows Loki better than anyone, and she might find him easier to talk to."  
"That is not a bad idea," Fury said.

_No, no, no. Bad idea, very bad idea._

She could not talk to Thor again and keep a straight face while thinking about how she'd been fucking his brother. His adopted brother, she corrected herself, not that it mattered. Thor was also so damn nice and friendly; she felt bad about lying to him. 

"Is that really necessary?" she asked. "Okay, Loki came back a couple of times, but he didn't stay long and he didn't say anything about why. I figured he just... needed somewhere to hide again."

That was the best she could come up with at the moment. Lying wasn't her strongest suit either, the more elaborate the lie the more likely she would slip up, so it was best to keep it simple and not say more than necessary.

"That is a possibility, of course." Fury seemed to ponder the options. 

Rogers held out his hand and asked to look at her wrist and she reluctantly let him. He frowned at what he saw.  
"Did he hurt you in more ways than this?" he inquired.  
"No." Her answer came too quick, she realized it once the word left her mouth.  
Rogers' eyebrows lifted and she realized what he was thinking. A look at the others and she realized what all of them were thinking.  
"You will be asked to undergo a medical exam," the director announced. "I strongly suggest you agree to it; it can only be in your interest."  
"Hell no!" she burst out. "If you don't believe me, I'm sure as hell not letting anyone examine me. This is offensive."  
"I'm sure you feel differently once you've had some time to think about it," Fury said and gestured to the agents. One of them took her by the arm, the other opened the door as they began escorting her out of the room. She didn't have much of a choice but to follow as they walked to the elevator, eventually stepping out on a different floor where they left her in a furnished room and locked the door.


	22. Assessment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Locked up and nowhere to go.

There was a bed in the room, which was worrisome since it might be an indication they were planning on leaving her here for a while. The room was comfortable enough, and nicely decorated, but the distinct sound of the door locking left no doubt; this was just a nicer version of a custody cell.

_Fuck, fuck, fuck! What am I doing now?_

She couldn't let them know what she and Loki had been doing. And less than 48 hours ago. There was not going to be any physical exam. Not under any circumstances.

She inspected the window, but it was well reinforced and way above street level. Same for the window in the bathroom, in the event she would even be able to wiggle through that small frame.

Her options were limited, but if she kept standing her ground they would have to give up and release her eventually, she figured. Wouldn't they? On the other hand, and that was what really worried her, the more time that passed the bigger the risk they'd start questioning their original assumption and suspect her being allied with Loki instead, maybe even having helped him escape in the first place.

Prison was not how she saw herself spending the next decade.

She settled on the bed, trying to think up a plan while doing her best not to imagine S.H.I.E.L.D. agents going through her house at this very moment. And what if Loki decided to make one of his unannounced visits only to stand eye to eye with them? He rarely came during daytime, but if... It would be a hilarious disaster.

She groaned.

_How did I end up in this mess? I just wanted to do my job and be left in peace._

Time snailed forward. There were a few magazines on a table, but nothing she found appealing. Not that she had the focus to read anyway. When the door finally opened it was a doctor she recognized and an agent bringing some snacks and a water bottle. He left soon enough but the doctor remained.  
"I'm not consenting to any kind of medical exam," she said firmly. "This is a violation of my rights and I'm not agreeing to anything until I'm let out of here."

The doctor (Lindstrom? Lindgren? It was something Scandinavian), who was a somewhat older woman, simply nodded.  
"I understand. I'm only here to talk."

Right. "Only here to talk." She knew that one.

"Will you take a seat, please?" The doctor, introducing herself as Lindstrom, indicated one of the chairs in the room. She obeyed, but with enough delay to make her displeasure clear.  
"Now," the other woman began, taking a seat across her. "I would like to hear what happened back when you were abducted, as much as you can remember."  
She rolled her eyes.  
"I've already given a statement. Read it!"  
"I would rather that you tell me, in your own words." Dr. Lindstrom's voice was oh, so patient and dripping with understanding. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes a second time.  
"And then what? You'll release me?"  
"That's not up to me, I'm afraid." The doctor's voice was apologetic, sympathizing. "I'm only here to try to understand your situation and make it easier for you, if I can."

_Make it easier, my ass._

"Alright..." she said, impatient to get it over with. "I went to examine the prisoner named Loki, then I went on with the rest of my work day. When I was going home the alarms went off. I got my car from the parking garage..."  
"You say you examined the prisoner," dr. Lindstrom interrupted. "It's not usual procedure for a female medical assistent to examine male prisoners, is it?"  
"No, it isn't."

_And you know that perfectly well._

"Do you believe some of your co-workers set you up to it?"  
"I know they did. They've been reprimanded for it."

She went on telling her story and answering questions. There was little else to do and nothing she said was truly compromising in itself. The problem was when dr. Lindstrom started poking at the details.

"There was an incident during your examination of the prisoner," the older woman said. "Apparently he was... aroused while you were handling him?"  
"It happens all the time." She made a point of sounding dismissive. "It's normal."  
"It is," the doctor agreed, "under certain circumstances. I noticed, however, you didn't mention it in your report."

_That my patient got a boner while I was prodding him? Gee, can't imagine why._

"I didn't think it relevant," she said cooly. "My work was only to assess his injuries."  
The doctor nodded.  
"Of course."

She had a sip of water. Whether it was nerves or genuine thirst, her throat was getting dry.  
"However," dr. Lindstrom said, "what happened may be important in relation to later events. Why do you think Loki decided to hide in your car?"  
"Uhm... it was the first one he saw? I did leave the back door open for a moment; I assume he saw an opportunity." He thoughts went back to that day. It had indeed been a very brief opportunity; he must have had been very close to take advantage of it.

"You don't think he targeted you on purpose?"  
"No." She shook her head. "If he wanted to get out of there, he wouldn't have waited for me to come along. He couldn't have know I'd be there in the first place; I could just as well have been caught up in the lockdown."

There was no arguing with that. Loki couldn't possibly have known where she was going to be at the time, or even which car was hers before she showed up. It was pure coincidence and S.H.I.E.L.D. had to see it.

One thing less to worry about.

"But when you got home something happened, didn't it?"

_Yeah, a lot of things happened. Half of which I'm not going to tell you!_

"He walked me inside and pulled the curtains, then he chained me to the bed."  
"And then...?"

She wondered if the room was bugged and the agents that had locked her up was sitting somewhere listening to the whole thing. Were they hoping for juicy details?  
"Nothing happened. He rested for a bit, then he let me loose so we could eat."

The doctor didn't look convinced. In fact the longer the interview went on the less convinced she looked.  
"There are things you're not telling, is there?"

Obviously.

"I don't know what else to tell," she said. "I've told you everything that matters."  
"Everything that matters..."

The conversation went in circles and dr. Lindstrom left, unsatisfied.

She leaned back, trying to relax, but she kept wondering what S.H.I.E.L.D. was going to try next. She had always been loyal, believed that the organisation was their foremost protection against the world's (and apparently other worlds') evil, that they were working on the basis of just principles. Now she wasn't so sure.

She wasn't accused of any crime, not even suspected of one, yet they saw if fit to lock her up against her will, trying to pressure her into a medical exam she didn't want. It left a bad taste in mouth.

She had to wonder what else they were willing to do.


	23. Order and chaos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quiet talk and a rushed move.

She dreamt about Loki.

A sound from the door woke her up and she sat up straight on the bed where she had fallen asleep. She had only intended to close her eyes and relax for a bit, but apparently nature had taken it's course and made her doze off instead.

It was Thor.

And take-out dinner, brought in by another nameless agent. She glanced towards the window, wondering what time it was. They had confiscated her cell phone and there were no clocks in the room, making it difficult to assess how long she'd been there. She'd make a guess at early evening.

"Sorry they dragged you into this," she said apologetically as the door clicked shut and she and Thor were left alone. The room felt smaller with him in it.

_Are all Asgardians so... imposing? No wonder people thought they were gods._

"There is no cause for apology on your part," Thor assured her. "Whatever Loki has done, it rests on his shoulders alone."  
She turned around so he wouldn't see her face, pretending to unpack the food. Though Loki might have initiated their scandalous interaction, he was hardly alone in keeping it going. She had been a more than willing participant most of the time.  
"Would you like some of this? They brought a lot."

Maybe if she played nice with Thor he would convince S.H.I.E.L.D. to let her go. 

Once they were seated she tried to get a light conversation going, not letting her worry show. Thor kept watching her without saying much until she reached for something and he got his eyes on her bruised wrist.  
"Loki did this?"

_Crap!_

"It's nothing. I just bruise easily."  
Thor looked serious.  
"I was told he has threatened you... and worse."  
She forced herself to stay calm.  
"They're just guessing," she said. "He just chained me up a couple of times, and dragged me across the room; that's it."  
"Why did he do such things?" Thor wanted to know. She didn't like the look on his face. It said that Loki would be in serious trouble would Thor get hold of him.  
"Because I tried to escape, among other things. He could have done a lot worse, don't you think?"  
Thor seemed to ponder that.  
"He could," he admitted. "Would you know the reason why he spared you?"

_Yeah, but I'm not going to tell you that!_

She shrugged.  
"I'm not sure. He didn't really tell me anything."

That part was true. Loki had told her very little, and nothing about what his long-terms plans were, or what he was doing when not spending time with her.  
"It may be that Loki has something planned for you, due to your connection to S.H.I.E.L.D.. He may want to use you to his advantage."

Yeah, she'd figured that was what they were thinking. It was probably the most important reason why they had locked her up; the medical exam being secondary, as well as an excuse.

"If he has, he hasn't told me about it."

They kept eating in silence, until Thor spoke again:  
"If he has harmed you in any way I will make sure he will not do so again. He will be brought to justice in Asgard, and you will not have to fear him evermore."  
She suddenly couldn't swallow. The thought of Loki being brought to Asgard, never to return, felt like a fist to her abdomen.  
"I'm not afraid of him," she said, her voice sounding weak.  
Thor took her hand, once again revealing the bruises.  
"You have all the reason to be," he said gently. "Loki is dangerous, but he cannot reach you here. Whatever he has done, he will not be able to do so again.

* * *

It took a long time to fall asleep and it felt like she'd only been out five minutes when the alarms went off.

She scrambled out of bed and got her shoes on. It was still mostly dark outside. Early morning hours, maybe? There were sounds of movement outside the door, but only briefly. Then the door unlocked and director Fury stepped in.  
"We're moving you to a safer location for the time being. I would appreciate it if you cooperate."  
"What do you mean 'safer'?"

_Like a real cell?_

She didn't dare trust that Loki would care enough to come after her, but there had been a small hope. He had confessed his feelings for her, after all. Kind of.

"No questions. You're coming with me." Fury took her by the arm and led her into the hallway. He walked fast, and she had to hurry to keep up.

The alarms kept sounding, and she imagined the lockdown quickly encompassing the building, floor after floor. If Loki was here... Or maybe it wasn't him at all, she thought. Maybe it was something completely unrelated and they were just being cautious. She'd been gone less than 24 hours; what were the chances Loki would even be aware of it, let alone know where she was?

They turned a corner and headed for the stairs. Well, it made sense; the elevators were probably included in the lockdown.

Very few people crossed their path, and noone paid much attention. The director's facial expression didn't invite to any stop-and-chat. 

It was when they arrived at the second floor things turned ugly. Three armed men were wating for them, and at first she thought they were an escort. Instead they took a stance and aimed their weapons at her and Fury.

He shoved her aside, out of the fireline, and to her utter surprise his apparence faded and shifted into something else. Or rather... someone else: Loki in full battle armor.

She had never seen him wear that in real life, and pictures really didn't do it justice.

He moved fast; before the soldiers had much opportunity to react he raised his hand and threw a green flash against them, sending two flying backwards and the third one tumbling down the stairs. The few bullets they managed to fire bounced of his armor like pebbles.

He took the remaining steps in one flying leap, grabbed the two dazed soldiers and smashed them into the wall, leaving them unconscious (or dead, for all she knew; it didn't look like he'd been holding back). Then he gestured to her to join him.

She quickly descended down the steps, in time to see Loki throw a knife down the last set of stairs, hitting the third man in the neck just as he was raising his weapon.  
"Come!" he ordered, grabbing her arm like before and proceeding downstairs.

It felt strange that he'd been with her the whole time and she hadn't known. Maybe she should have noticed small things being off, but she wasn't used to spending time around the director on a daily basis; she'd barely even spoken to him until yesterday.  
"Where are we going?" she asked between breaths. She almost had to run to keep up with his pace.  
"No questions, love." 

She felt embarrassed for having to be rescued like a damsel in distress, but there was literally nothing she could have done. Her work as a medical assistant hadn't exactly prepared her for being held in custody, sex ed. teacher even less so.

They ended up before a window, protected by a metal grid. Loki grabbed it with both hands and simply ripped it off the wall, before kicking out the glass. Then he glanced to the side with a mischiveous grin before grabbing her and giving her a long, intense kiss that was anything but chaste.  
"Follow me!" he said before stepping out of the window and jumping. She closed her eyes and followed, hoping he would catch her. Second floor was still a damn long way to the ground.

Before closing her eyes, however, she glanced back to see what Loki had been looking at before the kiss.

There was a surveillance camera mounted on the wall.


	24. Aftercare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki does what he wants.

"You kissed me in front of a camera! What were you thinking?"  
Loki smiled and let his armor fade, replaced with the leathers he usually wore when showing up at her house.  
"Oh, just a bit of fun, letting them know what you are to me."  
"Which is just what I _didn't_ want them to know! Fuck!"  
"If you insist, darling." He pressed her against the wall and ravished her neck with tongue and teeth till she gasped.  
"S... stop!" His entire body was flush against hers and she felt a provocative hardness against her lower belly. "How can you be horny _now_?"  
"How can I not?" His mouth kept working her neck while his hands began removing her clothes. She couldn't deter him and it felt less and less urgent to do so the longer he kept going at it.

_Damn it, Loki!_

She was all but melting in his arms.

Then his fingers were between her legs. Goddammit, those fingers; they would be the death of her.  
"Loki..."  
He didn't listen, didn't show any sign that he'd heard. Instead he licked his fingertips and slid them teasingly over her sweet spot. Her knees almost buckled.

His mouth took over hers, muffling the sounds she made. She could tell he was impatient, but he didn't attempt to push inside her just yet, only kept teasing and pleasing relentlessly. It was sweet agony.

She was supposed to be annoyed that he had broadcasted their relationship to all of S.H.I.E.L.D. but now it somehow felt... exciting to think about. The way he had kissed her, shamelessly, demonstratively, like he was mere moments from ripping her clothes off. All while someone was watching. And more would watch as it was played back later. Damn...

She whimpered as he kept pleasuring her, because pleasuring was the word he used, and the way he talked was just so sensual, so otherworldly, and his voice was like dark honey to her ears and...

He lifted her leg, and just as she was close he pushed inside her, all the way in one firm move, and she clung to him helplessly as he drove into her over and over, holding both her legs up around his hips like their very first time, and the sweet sensation uncoiling in her core made her cry out his name, again and again.

And then he released inside her, eyes closed and gasping wordlessly as he forced himself deep and tensed up for a long, shuddering moment.

He didn't loosen his grip. Instead he kept her against him while carrying her into a bedroom and lowering her onto the bed.

The house was one she hadn't been in, in a part of town she'd never visited. Loki had brought her there with little explanation, and she figured it was where he spent his time when not with her. Perhaps one of several places, even.

He wasn't done yet. It took another fifteen minutes of pounding her into the bed before he was satisfied and wrapped her up in his arms, pulling the covers over them. Dazed she nuzzled into the crook of his neck and listened to his heartbeat as her body calmed down.  
"How did you find out?" she murmured.  
"I came to visit you, and to my displeasure I found strangers guarding your home. I made quick work of them, and had one reveal your whereabouts."

She didn't ask what "quick work" meant; some things were better left unsaid.  
"Thank you," she whispered, drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Dreams of being locked up, left to die, and knowing Loki had abandoned her. He would never come back.

She jerked awake, only to be soothed by his softly hushing in her ear. Who knew Loki could be so gentle when he wanted to? It was such a contrast to the way he'd acted when they'd first met, and to his lethal efficiency on their way out of S.H.I.E.L.D. She would not have thought he had it in him.

Still lying tightly against his body she took in the faint smell of sweat and sex and something else she couldn't identify, something that always seemed to be there when she was close enough to sense it. Must be his personal smell, she concluded. It was as soothing as his arms around her back. She felt childishly comforted by it, and had to blink away a tear before it made it's way onto her cheek.  
"You _are_ quite safe," he said patiently. "They will not find you here, and even so, I would not let them take you."

_The villain is protecting you from the heroes._

Now, how was that for a game twist.

"I just... I..." Oh damn it, her eyes were overflowing. "I don't know what to do."  
His hand was moving slowly down her back, caressing it.  
"There is little that needs doing at this time. I intend to keep you with me from now on. What I require in return is your undying support and loyalty; not too much to ask, do you think?"

No. Not too much at all. She was more than willing to give it, she realized, however foolish it might be. Perhaps it was the shock, the after-effect of what she'd been through, but right now, in this moment, she was more than okay with the idea.

"Good," Loki said. "It's decided then."

_I just sold my soul._

Warning bells should be ringing, but they were surprisingly silent. Why was she suddenly so comfortable with this?

"What do we do now? I can't go back to my house."  
"Of course not," Loki said, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and reaching for a green and black robe that he proceeded to put on. "If you desire any of your belongings brought here I can retrieve them for you."  
"You'll go there? What if they catch you?"  
He leaned over to take her chin between his fingers.  
"Still such lack of faith in me, darling? You wound me."  
His self-satisfied smirk said otherwise, and she ran a serious risk of drowning in those eyes.  
"Don't tease me! I just wonder how you're going to get past S.H.I.E.L.D. They won't fall for the same trick twice."  
"Leave that to me." He brought her lips to his and slipped her some tongue before withdrawing. "Now, if you will have yourself a shower there will be something ready to eat when you come out. I don't intend to let you starve while under my care."


	25. Sexplanations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Word confusion and cultural differences.

Seated in the kitchen she was thoroughly enjoying the food. It had been a rough night, with a lot of energy spent, and way past breakfast time when she'd woken up. And Loki was surprisingly good at cooking, she had to admit. It took the edge of some of her prejudice about him.

"I'm not sure what to do now," she said between bites. "I won't be able to find work anywhere where S.H.I.E.L.D. can find me."

"Yes, unfortunate as it is you won't be able to continue your medical employment," Loki said impassively, "or your sex work."

"Sexual _education_. Yes, that's a shame; I like to think I was doing a good thing there."

"There is a difference?" he asked innocently.

"Loki, how long have you been on Earth? Sex work is a different profession entirely!"

He frowned.  
"I read on your 'social media' that one should respect sex workers, and I thought about what you've told me about the parents giving you grief."

"Yeah, but... Sex workers charge people for... you know, having sex with them."

She couldn't believe she was explaining things like this to him again. It reminded her too much of the weekend she'd been his hostage.

"You must have them in Asgard too? You told me about those who teach people... things."

"Courtesans and pleasure ladies, yes," he said, totally unfazed by the nature of the subject. "I was simply not familiar with the different terms used here."

"Sex workers is a pretty new term, I think, but it's more respectful than some others. There's quite a stigma against them."

"That is not the case in Asgard, though you are expected to be discreet, of course."

_Of course. I'm not going to ask how he knows this. He's lived for centuries; probably heard about it, not necessarily... made use of their services."_

"So, pleasure ladies. No men?"

_Why am I delving deeper into this? Don't encourage him!_

"There are," he said, somewhat more hesitantly. "Some of them even provide services for women, but it's less talked about."

"Not very different from here, then." She drank some water, trying to hydrate herself. The vigorous exercise during the night had left her in dire need of liquids, and she suspected it wouldn't take long before Loki wanted to repeat the performance. "I'll miss the sex ed. the most. Wish I could take it online, but S.H.I.E.L.D. would probably trace me as soon as I logged on."

"Is there a reason those parents don't approve, since it seems you're merely educating their young ones?"

She leaned back and sighed.  
"There are people who are really uptight about this. I tend to be honest with the kids. I answer their questions and tell them about things I think they should know. Beyond the baby-making stuff."

"Ah," Loki said, interest renewed. "Such as...?"

"Oral sex, masturbation... homo- and bisexuality... Normal stuff that they're bound to encounter. It's just that some really old-fashioned people would rather keep them in the dark about anything beyond missionary position."

"I see."

She could see his mind working.

"What are you thinking now?"

"Merely that with so many things to explore it makes little sense trying to keep them secret." He rubbed his lips. "Young people, teenagers as you call them, are more than likely to find out on their own."

"Yeah, keeping secrets from kids is never a good idea."

There was an almost indetectable shift in his posture, a moment of pause. It was over so quickly she wondered if she'd imagined it.

Loki stood.  
"If you are done you should make a list of what items you require from your home. I will do what I can to retrieve them, though I expect you to limit yourself to what you actually need."

"Clothes mostly," she said and got to work. She certainly hadn't planned to ask for anything frivolous; especially when Loki was taking a risk in going back in the first place. It didn't sit well with her, and only when he returned two hours later did she manage to relax.

"How did it go?" she asked, looking at him closely as she accepted the bag he magically manifested from somewhere. It was a very impressive trick, and handy too. She would have loved to know how he did it.

"Without incident," he dismissed, but there was an impish smile on his lips. "Two S.H.I.E.L.D. minions were in your kitchen, being somewhat disrespectful in their talking about our involvement, so I may have left a few traces of my presence which will require an explanation to their superiors."

"You just couldn't help yourself, could you?" Spontaneously she rose on her toes and kissed him. "Thank you!"

Loki raised his eyebrows, but didn't say anything.

She went into the bedroom and began unpacking. It felt strange. What she owned now could fit in a large-sized gymbag; she would never be able to go back to her house again. Or her life. 

There was a tightness in her midriff, but she did her best to ignore it, not give in to the fear. Things were going to be alright, somehow. She wasn't alone at least. And if Loki had been living off the grid for months now, why shouldn't she be able to as well? She had a safe place to stay while figuring out what to do; there was no reason to panic. Not yet anyway.

Not just yet.


	26. Insatiable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki is a force of nature.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I blame Loki for the smuttiness of this chapter; it's all on him.

She was done unpacking and stowing the bag away in a closet when Loki came in. The look in his eyes was her only warning before he wrapped himself around her back and pressed her against the closet door.

"If you are done, we can finally continue where we left off last night," he purred while eagerly sliding his hands over her hips.

"Wha...? I just got dressed!"

"That is easily taken care of." He was already opening the button of her pants, not waiting for permission.

"Loki!"

Simply ignoring her, he slipped his hands inside her pants and underwear and eased them down below her hips without missing a beat.  
"You are all mine now, and I intend to have my fill of you." Before she could react he had lifted her off the floor and moved her to the bed where he continued removing the clothing from her legs. Once done he placed his hands on her thighs and pried them apart.

"But what are you do... oh!"

His mouth was between her legs. Holding her firmly in place he ran his tongue between her folds, wetting them thoroughly before focusing on her sweet spot. She wanted to move, to squirm in response to his intense ministrations, but he wouldn't let her. Instead she dug her fingers into the sheets, letting out a whimper as his tongue assaulted her.

It was embarrassing; she'd never let anyone else do this, but Loki was like a force of nature; whatever he set his mind to, he couldn't be stopped.

She was gasping and tensing at the sensation rising through her core, but he stopped right there and pulled away. Unable to hold it back, she let out a sound of frustration. Loki leaned over her with a smug grin.

"Too soon?" he teased. "We are far from done yet, I can assure you." Positioning himself between her legs he hooked her knees over his arms and pushed inside her in one single thrust. She moaned loudly at the forceful intrusion into her highly aroused flesh, and Loki smiled in satisfaction.

"Yes, keep making such delightful sounds for me!" he purred, then began vigorously moving in and out of her, holding her hips in place with firm hands while twisting his hips to hit all the right spots. She couldn't have kept quiet if she wanted to. A look at his face told her he was deeply entrenched in his own arousal, eyes half closed and teeth showing as his hard length impaled her over and over. This time he didn't stop, luckily, and kept grinding against her as she dug her fingers into his forearms and cried out at the wave of pleasure crashing through her. 

Groaning softly, he kept moving, visibly struggling to hold himself back while getting every ounce of pleasure out of the act. She couldn't take her eyes of his face, fascinated with such display of intense and all-consuming passion. He was holding her down, keeping her firmly in place when he finally let go and released, buried to the hilt in her slick embrace.

It didn't mean he was done. Without giving her much rest he pulled out and turned her around till she was on her knees and elbows. Pushing her legs apart with his own he smoothly slid inside her again.

"Loki..." she began, but it wasn't a protest as much as an acknowledment. He was unsatiable at times, she was all but getting used to it. And it felt so good. His passionate intensity was as arousing as the act itself. She should be bothered by being used and dominated like this, but instead... oh damn!

He slipped his fingers in under her, stroking her sensitive spot as he kept thrusting into her. It was a delicious combination and she moaned shamelessly, all self-consciousness gone.

He kept teasing her, building up pleasure, till she was squirming, literally begging for release. Then he wrapped a hand in her hair, pushing her down till she was angled very indecently against him, and gave it.

For a time, she was too exhausted to move. Or maybe too overwhelmed. Or both, most likely. Loki pulled away and the coldness of his release tickled her skin. He went to lie beside her, pulling her against him with her back against his chest, a large hand settling between her thighs. Before she realized what he was doing he had lifted a finger to her mouth, making her taste the fluid.  
"Just a reminder who you belong to," he murmured against her ear. "Don't worry; I will soon let you rest."

She could only groan in reply, the taste of his seed heavy on her tongue. If this was the kinkiest he got, she could probably live with it.

* * *

"Your physical condition could be improved."

"Well, thank you!" she said sarcastically. "You realize I'm only mortal, right? In comparison to you even professional athletes wouldn't keep up."

They sat by the kitchen table, barely dressed. Loki claimed to have placed an illusion over the window to keep passers-by from seeing in, but she still felt a bit exposed about her partial nudity. Loki on the other hand was shamelessly manspreading in his open robe, giving her a distracting view of everything from chest hair to privates.  
"I'm merely saying it could be bettered for your own benefit," he said. "Tiring so quickly will give you less time to enjoy yourself."

"You mean you want to keep fucking me longer," she concluded.

He smiled.  
"That as well," he agreed. "I was careful at first since I didn't know how much a mortal body could withstand, but you seem to handle it well enough. The problem only appears to be you wearing yourself out too fast."

"I've never been fond of exercise," she admitted, "but I'm in better shape than most, I think."

"It could still be improved upon," Loki said, fingering his tea cup. "Perhaps I should teach you to fight."


	27. Learning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When things aren't easy...

She didn't know where Loki got the idea from, but once it was in his head he didn't let go of it. Before evening she found herself on the floor of the living room, all furniture pushed against the walls, and trying to break out of Loki's grip while paying attention to his instructions. She wasn't very successful, but he insisted it was to be expected in the beginning. His intent, he claimed, was to convey a new way of thinking, of understanding how to move and strike most efficiently. Though he wasn't overly patient he was surprisingly gentle, and she had the feeling he knew well what he was doing.

"Do not be afraid of hurting me," he said as she hesitated. "There is very little you can do that could actually harm me, and you need to be ruthless. When in a real battle you have to take your enemies down quickly and make sure they remain that way. There is no room for reluctance."

"I wasn't planning on being in a real battle," she argued, shoving her elbow into his ribs. It was like hitting a wall. She winced at the pain.

_What is his fucking bones made of? Rock?_

"You rarely see it coming. It is wise to be prepared." Loki flipped her around till she was on her back on the floor, immediately followed by him straddling her chest. There was a dagger to her throat, though she had no idea where it had come from.

"You also need to learn where the weak spots are," he said. "Don't waste time attacking where it won't do the most damage."

"I get it." Her elbow was still aching, and so was her chest. "Can you move off? I can't breathe."

"If this was real you wouldn't have to worry about breathing," he stated, tucking the dagger away and getting to his feet. She rose to seated position. Training with Loki was about as exhausting as having sex with him, though the strategy was quite different.

"Is that how you got your scars?" she asked. "In battle?"

"Some of them," he said.

"Where did you get the others?" she wondered, now curious. There was something in Loki's voice that hinted at a darker scenario, something under the surface. It was subtle; maybe she imagined it.

"There are times when fighting skill is not enough," he said without looking at her. "All you can do is wait for an opportunity, while enduring whatever they will put you through."

"They?"

"Those who are in control of your fate," he clarified, jaw clenching as he talked. It was a warning signal, but she didn't want to back off yet.

"What did they do?" she asked.

His head snapped up, eyes meeting hers, dangerously dark.  
"You wish to know what my _allies_ did while preparing for my mission in this realm? Do you want to hear how they kicked me like a dog, left me without water for days on end only to pour it over me when I finally got to sleep? Beat me till I couldn't move? Do you want to hear how they humiliated me? How they _laughed_ when I..."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know!" She couldn't reconcile what she heard with the image she'd come to have of him. To her, Loki was invincible; nothing could break him. He'd survived the Hulk, for fuck's sake. What he told her was disturbing on so many levels. "I had no idea; I didn't mean to upset you."

He rubbed the bridge of his nose, and she wondered if he was embarrassed about what he'd just revealed. She knew better than to ask.

"I'm sorry," she said again. "You didn't deserve that."

"And how would you possibly know?" he said, suddenly cold in tone. "Perhaps I did deserve what they did to me, and worse. There is no way for you to know, is there?"

"I don't think anyone deserves to be beaten till they can't move."

Loki rolled his eyes.  
"Your knowledge of the world is pathetic; judging what one might deserve is beyond your comprehension."

She wasn't sure if he was talking about her personally, or humanity as a whole, but there was pure venom in his voice and he suddenly seemed as threatening as that very first weekend when she'd been his hostage.

And yet...

"If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine," she said stubbornly, "but I still don't think you deserved what they did to you.

Loki turned away.  
"The lesson is over," he said, leaving her alone as he walked out.

* * *

She woke up during the night from a dream she could only vaguely remember. It had been something relating to S.H.I.E.L.D., leaving an uneasy feeling behind which made her reluctant to go back to sleep. 

She opened her eyes to keep the dream from taking hold of her again, and her gaze fell on Loki's sleeping face. He looked peaceful, relaxed and, as always when asleep, a bit younger.

She had never thought of him as vulnerable before.

Loki was intense. He was angry, arrogant, possessive, sarcastic... He was almost aggressively sexual, and other displays of intimacy were little more than glimpses. 

She had taken him at face value... and now she realized she'd been wrong.

Changing position slightly a bruise from the training made her moan, and Loki immediately opened his eyes.

"Sorry, I was just..."

"You are in pain."

"No, not much."

He reached out and placed a hand over her chest. It took a little while and then the ache began to fade.

"It embarrasses you," Loki noticed, perceptive as always.

"I just don't want you to think..."

"What? That you're weak? I thought we'd already established that you are not." He withdrew his hand. "I would not think of teaching you to fight otherwise."

That was flattering, but still...

"I can never be like you," she said. "I've seen you fight."

"I didn't intend to make you the same as me." Loki's hand was wandering again, now rubbing her naked hip and thigh. "Though at the very least you should be able to defend yourself."

"Yes, I see the point, but I've never been good at these things. I'm not fast, I can't move smoothly, I basically look like a badger trying to jump a fence. You have no idea..."

"I believe it's the voices of your childhood speaking," Loki interrupted her. "You need to let them go, or they will hamper your progress."

"It's not that easy."

He went quiet for a while, hands almost absently stroking her thighs, sliding in between and separating them.

"You think it came easy to me?" he said unexpectedly.

"I don't know; did it?"

"I've been doing this for centuries before you were born. We would recieve the best and hardest training there was, and we began almost before we could walk. We also had the highest expectations thrust upon us, since it wouldn't be acceptable for the sons of Odin to look weak." He spoke matter-of-factly, but with a hint of bitterness towards the end. "Thor prevailed of course; he excelled in everything relating to battle and fighting, enjoying every victory while cheered on by his growing number of admirerers."

Loki shifted to pull her against him, draping her leg over his hip. He rubbed his stiff erection against her folds in slow, rocking motions.

"And you?" she asked, curious and a little bit worried about what was to come.

"I was good, but in comparison to Thor I merely looked pathetic. Mother noticed and began teaching me certain things I could use to my advantage, including magic. She also taught me how to use my brain to my advantage in a fight, something noone else had thought of doing beyond the basic strategies. I built on that and developed a fighting style of my own. It came with a cost, of course; raw strength and straightforwardness are celebrated in battle; stealth and tricks are not, but it matters little when you win."

"And survive," she said, beginning to understand.

"Indeed. We were barely adults when sent into our first battle, and it wasn't a pleasant experience, I can assure you, but I survived with a minimum of injury thanks to what I'd learned."

She relaxed to let him in, gasping at the sensation. Though their focus was on the conversation it didn't diminish the feeling much.

"You're very different from your brother, aren't you?" she dared ask, though it felt like an odd subject under the circumstances.

"You could say that, and as it turned out we're not even related."

She slid her fingers through his beautiful, dark hair, black as night. Loki was the opposite of Thor in many ways, it seemed, they'd even ended up on opposing sides in the battle of New York. She wondered how it all had came about; if it had been a slow process, or a quick change leading up to their divide.

"So you're saying I have to find my own way."

"And ignore others' opinion of you. Worrying about what you look like while learning will do you no favours." 

He kept holding her close, teasing her neck with lips and tongue while moving his hips against her in a pleasant rythm. There wasn't much she could do but let him lead and feel the tension building as he thrusted into her slowly, sometimes stopping to rub himself against her sweet spot, enhancing the pleasure. As much as she liked it the rougher way, and knew he did too, this was almost soothing. Had she not been so close to the edge she could have fallen asleep like this, with part of him inside her, rocking her till she dozed off.

"Loki... please..."

"Giving in so quickly?" he murmured against her ear.

"You're teasing me."

"Of course. Where would the fun be without it?"

She tried to move against him to trigger her release, but he wouldn't let her.

"Not yet," he purred, "not yet."

Damn! He was enjoying this way too much.

He continued his slow, even rythm, keeping her on edge for what felt like an eternity. With eyes half closed and teeth showing he looked fully immersed in sensations. Only when he buried his mouth into her neck and pulled her leg higher over his waist did she know he was close enough to let go. A change of angle was all it took and she was shaking in his arms, crying out loud, eagerly accepting his essence as it filled her.

He didn't let go.

To the sound of his breathing she fell asleep, tightly cradled in his embrace.


	28. All that Counts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Training and aftercare

Loki forced her out of bed at six, adamant that they start training. She wasn't even allowed to shower.  
"You can do that later, it would be redundant to do so now."

"If you don't mind being near me when I smell of sweat and sex, no. Most guys prefer women freshening up a bit in the morning."

"I have smelled worse, believe me. Now, do as I say." 

There was no arguing after that; he barely let her finish putting on comfortable clothes before urging her into the living room to begin.

It was a continuance on what they had been doing yesterday, with repetitions over and over till she got it right. To call Loki a perfectionist was an understatement.

"You are still letting concern over others' judgment affect you," he scolded. "Do not hesitate; simply follow one movement with another."

"Are you missing the part where _I'm not like you_? I can't move that fast; It's literally impossible."

"It is not a matter of speed but of fluency. Now do it slowly." He stood behind her to guide her movements. Frustrated as she was, she was also very much aware of the closeness as his body aligned with hers. It sent all sorts of tingly feelings down her spine.

"It is vital that you can defend yourself, would the situation require it," Loki said. "Were we to be separated, I need to trust that you can stand your ground till I can reach you."

"You make it sound like we're under threat. The only enemy I have is S.H.I.E.L.D. and I'm pretty sure they want to arrest me, not fight me."

"Don't be too sure. It is better to be prepared when not needed, than standing helpless when an attack comes."

He was right, of course. It just sounded like...

_Hypervigilance._

She continued following his instruction, doing her best with what she had, but her mind kept going its own way.

Loki had been through horrific things.

Psychology hadn't been a big part of her medical training but she knew that traumatic experiences had a long-lasting impact. Even on a "god".

"Focus!" Loki demanded, his voice stern.

She did her best, finding new resolve in a rising anger towards those who had hurt and degraded the man she loved.

* * *

When Loki finally let her into the shower she was almost too exhausted to walk. He turned the water on, mindful of temperature this time, and got rid of their clothes. Their training had aroused him and he touched her eagerly while pressing her back into the wall as the water streamed over them.  
"You need to be more flexible," he murmured, hitching her legs up and hooking his arms under them while rubbing his hard length against her folds. "I believe we can find some pleasurable ways to work on that."

She found herself moaning in reply, too tired to do much else. It felt like relief to be held up, not having to keep herself standing, but what he was doing also excited her quickly.

Besides the shameless angle, there was the fact that he held her so tight, she was literally unable to move. When he pushed inside her it was all on his terms; she could only submit and take it. The whole sensation was overwhelming, making her close her eyes and gasp for breath.

_This isn't me. I don't let guys do what they want with me. I don't give myself over to be used._

There were many things she wouldn't do.

Until now.

"Loki..." she groaned, wanting to protest to preserve some dignity, but it came out sounding like something else entirely. He had soaped up his hands and was sliding them all over her body as he slowly and steadily pushed in and out, keeping her locked in the same position without faltering. "Please..."

"Mmm... yes. So delicious when you beg." His voice was like a purr, sending its vibration straight from her ear to the place where he was penetrating her deeply, building up to release. The thought of him coming inside her...

"Oh god!"

"Yes, I am your god." His thrusts were becoming more forceful, his voice more demanding. "Say it!"

He slowed his pace, forcing her to look at him while she told him what he wanted to hear. Humiliation burning her cheeks, she couldn't find a way to refuse.

* * *

He carried her to bed and began kneading her muscles with skilled fingers. A familiar scent called for her attention.

"You brought my massage oil? I didn't put that on the list."

"It was next to your bed and I figured it might come in handy."

Loki sounded pleased with himself.

"Anything else you picked up without telling me?"

"If you refer to the contraption hidden amongst your undergarments, I found it somewhat redundant in our current situation."

_Shi-it!_

She winced, happy that Loki couldn't see her face right now.  
"You were not supposed to see that."

"It is understandable that you would turn to such a thing for pleasing yourself in my absence but since we're now sharing a bed more permanently, it shouldn't be needed."

She could hear in his voice how amused he was about the whole thing.

_Bastard!_

"It has nothing to do with you." She twitched when his fingers dug into an especially sore muscle. "I bought that thing long before we met."

"And have you felt a need to use it lately?"

"....no, but that doesn't mean... Ow!"

"It will soon be over," he assured as he kept working the spot. "If I let you rest without taking appropriate measures first, your mobility will be hampered later."

"And we can't have that, can we?" She was being mildly sarcastic, knowing full well why he didn't want her mobility "hampered".

"Certainly not."

The shower sex had been satisfying but handling her naked body was sure to get Loki back in the mood. The man was insatiable.

The kneading turned into firm strokes and before she knew it there were hungry kisses trailing down her back, intermitted with the soft nibbling of teeth. It sent warm shivers down her spine and she restlessly shifted her hips.

Loki put a hand on her lower back, keeping her down and in place.  
"Be still, darling. Good things come to those who practice patience."

His soft, yet firm voice was a turn-on in itself. She felt an almost irresistible urge to obey him just for the sake of it.

_Damn you!_

Separating her thighs with his hands, he continued his kisses down the sensitive skin on their insides till an involuntary moan escaped her lips. If the shower had been fast coming, this was slow torture.

He grabbed her hips and flipped her around, only to lift her backside into his lap and drape her legs over his shoulders.  
"I think a little more flexibility would benefit you," he said, smiling wickedly while stroking her thighs with long, slow caresses. "One can never be too thorough."

His cock was resting heavily against her folds, the smooth tip on obscene display.

"And thorough is how you do everything, isn't it?" she snarked.

"It is indeed, my lovely mortal." He rubbed himself against her a few times, teasing her sweet spot. "We need to make sure that you are ready... for everything that comes your way." He pushed in slowly but forcefully, the pleasure reflecting on his face as his eyes fluttered closed.

She gasped at the intrusion, eased by previous acts but still a noticeable stretch.

Once filling her completely he began to move, holding her in place by the hips.  
"Since you are fully mine now, it is my obligation to take proper care of you," he said, "and make sure all your needs are fulfilled."

The way he said it sent a wave of arousal through her core.  
"Loki..." she breathed, digging her fingers into his arms.

He stilled, but only to begin pulling her against him instead, moving her body back and forth along his length with strong hands. It didn't take long for her to tense up and clench around him, moaning out loud.

Loki looked pleased. With a few powerful thrusts, he emptied himself inside her and let her legs down. Sighing contently he pulled her close and draped the bedcovers over them both.

"Now rest; you have done well."

She wondered if it was true or if he was just trying to make her feel better, but decided that it didn't matter. Feeling good, being close, feeling loved was all that counted.

Yes, feeling loved.


End file.
